Place cards are just one of those things so many of us don’t think about until we’re planning a wedding and likely never will again! However, since it is such a fancy soiree, place cards are an absolute must-have if you’re doing seating arrangements at your reception.

So first of all, what is the purpose of place cards? They help guests take the guesswork out of where they’ll be sitting during the reception. Open seating is relatively uncommon, though it is an option for those who don’t want to bother with place cards and seating arrangements.

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Escort Cards vs Place Cards
How to Use Escort Cards
How to Use Place Cards
Creative Escort Cards

Escort Cards vs Place Cards

These two cards are sometimes used interchangeably, however they are two different types of cards. Escort cards direct guests where they’ll be seated and place cards are already on the table. They can be used together or you can use one or the other.

How to Use Escort Cards

The most common way to use escort cards is to have a table set up at the entrance of the reception area with rows of place cards. There will be a place card with every guest’s name and a corresponding table number. Typically, these cards are arranged in alphabetical order by last name, or by table number. Just make sure you have table numbers on every table so guests know where to go once they find their card!

Classic Escort Cards

How to Use Place Cards

If you’d like to take seating arrangements to the next level of organization, use place cards in addition to escort cards. The escort card will tell guests which table they’re at, then use place cards to direct them to a specific seat. This can be helpful if you want certain people to be able to sit closely together, like couples or families.

If you are not using escort cards and corresponding table numbers, then you will simply put place cards on their appropriate tables with the names of each guest. You won’t have to include table numbers since the place cards go directly on the table and in the place each guest is assigned to sit, but you can include them if you like. This can be helpful to you or whoever is placing the cards on tables to ensure the place cards go on the correct tables.

If you have a larger gathering, we recommend using escort cards or you may want to consider also having a sign or multiple signs at the entrance of reception space with a list of names and corresponding table numbers. This will help keep guests from wandering around reading every single place card on a scavenger hunt to find their name.

Using strictly place cards and no signage/escort cards is a less chaotic option if you have a small guest list and a more intimate setting.

Classic Place Cards

Creative Escort Cards

If normal, formal place cards aren’t your thing, have no fear! Brides are getting extra creative with how they direct guests to their seats these days, so there is no shortage of inspiration online. Some of our favorite, unique ideas include:

• Escort cards attached to champagne glasses (see above picture)
• Guest names on sea shells
• Luggage tags
• Escort cards attached to a skeleton key
• Oak slices
• Little Patron shots
• Agate escort cards
• Sea glass
• Shot glasses

Shop Creative Escort Cards