Escort Cards! Place Cards? Seating Chart. Seating Cards?
Feeling confused yet? Of course you are! Let me clear a few things up. “Seating card” is generic term for all of the above. The terms “escort card” and “place card” are often misused leaving lots of our clients feeling a little unsure about what they actually need for their event.
Let me explain…
Escort Cards
Escort cards are those little cards guests pick up at the beginning of the reception with their name and table assignment.
Tent escort cards are our most popular seating option. They are available in a variety of colors to compliment your vision. They are typically arranged on a table for your guests to easily pick up as they enter the reception.
We understand that finalizing your guest list is one of the last pieces of the puzzle. We can print these in-house using digital calligraphy 1-2 weeks (or less if necessary) before your wedding.
Out-of-the-Box Escort Cards
Have a particular theme in mind? There are so many fun options to explore! We love these beachy starfish tags. And these nautical knots… we teamed up with Mystic Knotwork and Swell Anchor Studio to create these beauties.
“The terms 'escort card' and 'place card' are often misused leaving lots of our clients feeling a little unsure about what they actually need for their event”
We love our sweet little leaf cards too. They are available in an array of colors making them perfect for summer and fall weddings.
ps: Did you know you can purchase these on Etsy? The best part is that you can shop online AND still work with a designer to ensure all the details are perfect!
Place Cards
Shameless start to this category… the cute little place card above was designed for my own wedding. Place cards are located at each place setting (I apologize for the redundancy). These are used when the host assigns each guest a specific seat at a specific table.
Now to direct your attention below… for this couple’s lovely southern wedding, we used place cards to help during dinner. Since the venue required each guest to choose their meal ahead of time, we used different backing layer colors to help the wait staff ensure each guest received the correct meal (pink for beef, ivory for chicken, peach for salmon).
So how did the guests navigate their way through all the tables to find their place card? I’m happy you asked! When the guests arrived, they were greeted with this beautiful seating chart we created with Bespoken Weddings & Events. The chart was in alphabetical order so guests could easily find their names and table number. Bonus, the display was not only functional, but also served as a beautiful accent in the atrium.
Seating Charts
Okay so in the last paragraph I skipped ahead and briefly spoke about seating charts, but I’m not done. A seating chart can be used instead of escort cards to assign table numbers. It lists all your guests’ names with their corresponding table number. We love this option for smaller weddings, think 150 people or less. These charts are lovely but the magic dissipates as bit when you see 300 guests crowding around one chart to find their table.
We design these in standard sizes so you can frame it OR place it on an easel and have your florist pair it with greenery for a lovely statement. Again, we can print these 1-2 weeks (or sometimes even 2 days) before your wedding so you don’t have to rush with your seating plan.
Happy planning!
xoxo, Fat Cat
ps: No matter how pretty, a seating chart or escort cards can't work properly without table numbers placed throughout the seating area.
- Black & Gold Escort Cards photographed by Imagine Studios
- Baby Blue Escort Cards photographed by Hayley Pfitzer of Christian Oth Studio
- Classic Ivory Escort Cards photographed by Susan Hennessey
- Starfish Cards photographed by White Pear Photography
- Nautical Knot Cards photographed by Jay Lim Studio
- Rustic Woodgrain Place Card photographed by Becka Pillmore
- Peach Place Cards + Seating Chart photographed by MORNINGWILD
- Classic Seating Chart photographed by Kelsey Combe
Work with Fat Cat from your Couch
Over-scheduled? Live out of town? Just don’t feel like changing out of your sweatpants to attend another wedding appointment? WE GET IT. We offer video consultations to make your life easier. And, it’s also a great way to work with a bunch of key family members who can’t be in the same place at the same time.
