With
the seemingly unending stationary options available for weddings, what each
item is intended to be used for is sometimes confusing. One of the most
frequent questions we here at HJ receive concerns the difference between escort
cards and place cards.
Escort
cards tell your guests which table is theirs.
Place
cards tell your guests what seat is theirs at the table.
Since
you are busy on your wedding day, escort and place cards act as a paper-form of
a hostess:
Escort
cards “escort” your guests to the table; place cards hold out the chair for
them.
Although
almost all seated receptions use escort cards, today’s trend is to forgo place
cards. Most couples feel it unnecessary to dictate each guest’s specific seat,
finding it enough to merely direct guests to their table. Not only does this
cut down on immense amounts of organization (and, therefore, stress), but it is
also an easy and unnoticeable way to keep the stationary budget in check.
Escort
cards are often displayed on a table outside the reception room, usually in the
cocktail hour space. This allows guests to pick up their card before entering
the dining area, making the transition from cocktail hour to dinner faster and
smoother because guests know where they are headed.
Another
idea is to create an escort card “map”. This map is an alphabetical list
telling each guest of their assigned table.
When
seated, most guests instinctively place their escort card above their plate –
turning their escort card into a place card. This not only helps each guest
identify each other, but also helps servers know which meal each guest
receives. By using different color ink, decoration or otherwise marking the
front of an escort card, you silently inform the wait staff of who receives
chicken, fish or beef.
Escort
card tables should be obvious, meaning that they should be something your
guests see when they first enter the cocktail hour – a hidden table counteracts
the cards’ purpose – but it should also be eye-appealing. The table is a great
way to tie in your wedding’s theme or color scheme, and any décor you use on it
can be later appropriated to the favor table.
Here
are a few escort card tables we love:
Happy planning!
