All You Need to Know About Place Cards & Escort Cards

At Flying Little Birds, we create ways to display our signature handcrafted sachet favors, which work double duty as escort cards or name cards. Our favorite part of designing weddings and events is incorporating our sachet favors matching not only the theme of the celebration, but also adding your personality and style to the wedding/event décor.

I know there are many questions regarding the differences between place cards and escort cards: Do I need both of them? Is it one per guest? How should they be addressed? And so forth… If you are planning your wedding and have similar questions, this post is for you, as I am sharing tips on planning these items for your big day.

But first of all, let’s talk about the main differences between an escort card (or seat chart) and place card (sometimes referred to as a name card or name tag). Escort cards will assist in directing your guests to a designated table, while place cards are set on the table at the guest’s predetermined seat.

Ok, but which one(s) should I use at my wedding? Well, it will depend on a few facts; so let's check it out!

Escort Cards:

If you have a large guest list, having escort cards can be a particularly great idea. You will be able to previously preset the seat of your guests and avoid unevenly distributed tables or empty seats. Most weddings have escort cards placed at the entrance of the reception area as it makes it easier for the guests to find a table. The escort card will give piece of mind to your guests and prevent large parties from having to seat separating for lack of space at a particular table.

In case you decide to skip the escort cards, just have in mind that guests tend to spread out and sit with those that they already know. Besides the fact that this may create empty spots that would not look good in photos, you may also have extra costs at your wedding reception in order to keep all parties together.

Working on an escort card / seat chart can be an extra planning step on your agenda, but I recommend that it be done. It is best to start doing so as soon as you start receiving your RSVPs. And would we need one per guest? Nope! Actually, we normally have one per family, couples (married or not married) and single guests (with or without company). Here are a few tips when it comes to addressing these cards, depending on the formality of your reception.

Married Couples:

"Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith" - Formal

"Robert and Catherine Smith - Less Formal

Unmarried couples:

"Jennifer Sloan and David Smith" - Alphabetize the guests according to their last name

Singles:

Anna Sinclair

Anna Sinclair and Guest - If the person is bringing a guest

Family:

The Guedes Family

Place Cards or Name Cards:

When talking about place cards or name cards, this item will bring a bit more formality to your event. A place card designates where each guest will be seated at a wedding reception, pointing each guest to his or her particular seat at the table. Although place cards are optional, if you are planning a plated dinner offering more than one entrée, place cards can be very helpful for the serving staff to bring the correct meals to the guests. Have also in mind that every guest should have his or her own place card.

Normally, if you decide to have a place card at your reception, you may also consider having an escort card, in order to avoid having guests walking around at the reception looking for their names at each table. However, if you are hosting a small intimate reception with a long family table, you may only have the place cards skipping the escort cards.

Check our Wedding Favor Collection for more inspirations!

Would you like to know more about Flying Little Birds tips in styling and design events? Send your questions or comments!

XoXo, Carol Guedes

Event Design: @flyinglittlebirds

Flowers, Favors & Signage: @flyinglittlebirds

Venue: @501union

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