How to Choose Wedding Place Cards or Escort Cards
Wedding Escort Cards and Place Cards
Wedding place cards and escort cards are two essential pieces of stationery for your wedding. They can help guests find their seats and indicate which table they belong to when used correctly. And while you may think they’re the same thing, they actually serve different purposes when it comes to your wedding seating. I’ll go into detail below, but basically an escort card will indicate which table a guest should sit at, while the wedding place card will show the guest’s specific seat at the table.
Wedding Escort Cards
Now onto the specifics, escort cards are typically placed at the entrance to the venue, so that guests can find their assigned table. An escort card should include the guest’s name and the table number. Besides those basic details you can get as creative as you want with the design and display of the escort cards. The only time you don’t need escort cards is if you’re doing a seating chart instead. If you have a seating chart sign with everyone’s name and table number then it would be redundant to also have escort cards. You can see all the details that go with a seating chart in this other post.
Wedding Place Cards
So while the escort card or seating chart is essential, place cards are not always necessary. Place cards are typically placed on each guest’s plate at the table so they know where exactly to sit. However a lot of weddings do not need this level of detail. As long as the guests find their table with the escort cards they can easily sort out which seat they want to sit at.
However if you want to control the specific seat then place cards are necessary. Plus there are a few scenarios when you have to have them. For example if guests have food allergies, giving them a specific seat is very helpful for catering and could be required for plated dinners versus buffet lines. Adding your guests names to menus as wedding place cards are also a beautiful way to personalize your guests’ experience. Whether or not you need them they can be a fun way to add another level of design and creativity to your wedding day.
Which Card Should You Use?
Now that you know the difference between place cards and escort cards, you can decide which you want to use for your wedding. If you are having a small wedding, you may be able to get away with using only escort cards. But if you are having a large wedding or something more formal, it will be helpful to use both place cards and escort cards. And of course if your caterer requires assigned seating then you definitely need both or at least a seating chart and place cards.
Top Tips for Place Cards & Escort Cards
- Get creative with your designs, Pinterest is a great way to find fun ideas. Plus when you personalize them it will really stand out to your guests.
- Work with a stationer or designer to help create your display and cards. You can usually use the same designer from your invitations to really create a cohesive designed wedding experience.
- Make sure the escort cards are in a central location and are readable for all of your guests to make for an easy user experience. And then place cards are easily noticed at the place settings so guests know the seats are assigned.
- Be sure to organize them in a way that makes sense, like alphabetically so guests can easily find their escort cards. Plus make sure you know what details to have on place cards, like food options, allergies, or any other important details.
- Lastly, be sure to have a backup plan! For example, if you have an outdoor display and the weather turns out bad you definitely need a backup way for your guests to find their seats.
A combination of place cards with a seating chart or escort cards are essential for any wedding. By following the tips in this guide, you can create beautiful and functional seating charts, escort cards, and place cards that will help your guests have a wonderful time at your wedding. And of course you can always reach out here if you want to start planning your wedding day designs from escort cards to seating charts and more!
