Seating assignments for guests at a wedding reception is quite a wedding planning task. If you don’t know where to begin, this is for you.

Here are the three main popular terms you may hear regarding table assignments: escort cards, place cards and seating charts.

Escort cards and seating charts are essentially the same thing—both are usually arranged in alphabetical order according to guests’ names with their table assignment on them, and the purpose of both is to escort guests to their reception tables. Escort cards are usually arranged on a table, and a seating chart is displayed on an easel. Place cards, on the other hand, are placed on the actual reception tables and show each guest which seat to sit in.

Because escort cards and seating charts are essentially the same thing, so you do not need both for a wedding reception, but you should choose one to create table assignments for your guests. Place cards are optional and dependent on if you want guests to sit in specific seats at their tables or not. Or if your venue/caterer requires meal indicators for your guests, it is recommended to have place cards at the reception tables with each guest’s meal selection.  

All these items serve to make it easier on your guests to find where they should be seated for the night. Whether you intend to have a plated dinner, family-style meal or buffet for your wedding, it is strongly recommended to have some sort of seating assignment for your guests to create order and avoid confusion. 

Guest seating can be a stressful wedding task to complete, but if you understand your options and utilize these tools, it will make table assignments go more smoothly. 

Monday, September 30, 2024