When it comes to pulling off a (nearly) flawless wedding, it’s all in the transitions. Namely, moving your guests efficiently from one place to another. If you’re having a seated meal at your wedding, the key to getting your guests from appetizer hour to their seats without a hitch is the combined power of wedding escort cards and place cards. To this you may say, “what even is an escort card?” in which case, we’ve got you covered.
What are wedding escort cards?
Wedding escort cards tell guests which table to sit at. Each card features a guest’s name and their corresponding table number. As they enter the reception area, guests will find the card with their name and proceed to the table that corresponds with the number.
Pro tip: For easy access, always display your escort cards in alphabetical order.
What’s the difference between a wedding escort card and a place card?
Wedding place cards tell your guests exactly which seat to sit in, and are placed on the table in front of each place setting. Basically, escort cards get your guests to their table and place cards get them to their seat.
Do I need wedding escort cards?
Most likely, yes. If you are assigning your guests to tables you will need some version of an escort card. But for escort cards to be effective, you’ll need to make sure the table numbers are easily visible as well.
Do I need place cards?
If your guests chose entree options prior to the wedding, your venue will most likely require you to have place cards. In this case, each guest’s place card will be marked with their entree choice. This makes it easy for the servers to dish out the chicken breasts to the chicken lovers and so on.
If you’re serving dinner buffet-style, you may not need to assign seats for each guest. In that case, just go with escort cards.
Can I skip escort cards and place cards altogether?
Allowing guests to seat themselves can be tricky. If left to their own devices, people will naturally spread out. This leaves a few seats open at each table, which means more tables and more costs. Assigning tables can ensure each table is full so you won’t have to spend more on linens.
If you’re having a very casual wedding, like in the park or your backyard, you may really not need to assign seats at all. If that’s your style, by all means, let them roam free.
See more: Creative Wedding Escort Card Ideas
