Escort Cards?! Need so much help!

1. Tables

2. Cards can be laid out in alphabetical order, the board has names listed by table or alpha order

3. Only if your venue needs their choice of meal on a card

4. Either way, for a couple it is called an escort card--a lesson hard learned by me not long ago!

5. Not cream puffs because they are perishable. Chocolate(s), candy in organza bags or boxes. We used a photo holder...

I've never been to a wedding with assign seating, just assigned tables. Do you want assigned seats so you know the meal selection? Usually the escort cards tell guests the table number, then place cards are already set on the table with the guests' names and meal choice. We chose to just do escort cards and I rhinestoned them for meal choices. Clear was chicken, Pink was fish, and no rhinestone (since it was the most popular) was beef.

I guess I don't understand why seats need to be assigned for anything- tables yes. Why couldn't their escort card say "Mr. Smith, Table 5, Salmon", place that at their plate and then a server grab it before dinner? I haven't seen this, not even as a catering manager, so maybe I'm just missing something here.

1. Tables

2. Cards in alphabetical order, board by table numbers I would assume

3. I've never been to one with a board so I don't know. This would be to me if they assigned seats.

4. Everyone should get a card.

5. We did 2x2x2 favor boxes and put labels on them with name and table number. We had hershey kisses deluxe in the boxes.

You have a lot of options. You can do a board with table names/numbers and then people can sit anywhere at that table. You can do the board and then when they get to their table little card tell them where to sit. You can do escort cards that tell them their table number. Really you have lots of options.

Everyone should get their own card. It's way too confusing to start making couples on one card. Heck, if nothing else you have issues with if a married couple has different last names whose name do you put it under?

1. Tables

2. Whatever you do make it alphabetized. Its faster for people to find their names

3. You can if you want. But so not necessary

4. Their own is usually better but if you have a John Doe and his Guest and you dont know her name you can also do John Doe's Guest card

5. Love the Cream Puff idea. My coordinator suggested something similar, she said its because people are less likely to misplace their escort card on their way to their table if its attached to something they want, like a snack. Small cookie or cake pop, little bag of Jordan Almonds, little bag of butter mints...

ETA: Typos are bad today

Ok, so if you need assigned seats for plated meal service, then you'll want to do place cards - not escort cards. Or you could do both, but that's kind of overkill We'll probably be doing assigned seats, and doing a seating chart that shows you your table assignment and then there will be a place card at each seat. (Again, if these are needed for meal selection, you'll want 1 card per person)

The biggest reason I'd go that way over escort cards or cards on favors, is that a lot of people will put them in their purse or pocket or forget about them - they probably all won't place their escort card above their plate so the server will know who needs what

Other option - talk with your caterer to see what exactly they need for plated service! One of the most recent weddings I went to had a plated meal and only assigned tables. The servers came up and said our names ("Eliza? Bryan?") and served the indicated meals that way. It was super easy!

Matt, I think you should do a BAM part deux for those of us that haven't seen yours because the bits I've seen or heard about your wedding looks like it was spectacular.

1. Most would prefer assigned TABLES only. If you have to do seats, you must provide the guests the TABLE they are assigned (chart etc) and then have their own name cards at the table (place setting) so they know which seat is specifically their.

2. There may not be a difference. Some people want to use a chart for everyone, some like individual place cards. Always alphabetize the names for individual cards. If using a chart, you can go alphabetical or by table number.

3. If you want assigned seats, YES. If just assigned tables, then no.

4. Every guest should have their own card/name etc.

5. Have fun with your theme. We are doing a travel/journey theme and will be printing out boarding passes for each person, listed alphabetically that they can take with them to their table.

Wow these are great suggestions I am so glad that I asked!

@Lynnie, that is such a great point! I didn't even think about people not thinking to put their place card in front of them.

@Matt, that is so cute! I will maybe end up doing something like that then. Did it take people a while to find their names?

@VC, that is a good point about the theme!. I have a sort of garden/boho theme going. So if I could do something with flowers that would be awesome but I have a hunch that could get really pricey.....

@Ashley - Why not try "fake" flowers and have each flower represent a meal choice? Rose = beef, Sunflower = Chicken etc. Attach the names to the flowers like a tag or a coloured ribbon etc.

@VC- that is genius! I love that!

Pp's pretty much covered everything. My only advice is to do cards rather than a board incase last minute rsvps or cancellations happen.

@Matt WOW love that. I'm not sure if it's allowed for you to do a second BAM but if you wanna blame me and MrsAtwood for requesting it then maybe if people care they will just take it out on us :p

Is there any way you could link your original BAM so I could see that?!

@Matt, I think the WW community would make an exception for you. Make it like a before and after baby post lol.

You shouldn't need to assign seats - we had 3 entree options, and just indicated each entree on the back of the escort card (C for chicken, B for beef, V for vegetarian). No one sees that but the caterer, so don't over-think it by trying to make a complicated code for it!

If you insist on assigning seats, you will have a board listing what table each guest is at, and then at the table each seat will have a place card with their name and entree choice on it as others have said. Keep in mind, people may swap seats anyway!

I have been to weddings that had both boards of tables and escort cards. I prefer the escort cards, or even boards arranged alphabetically (by LAST name), just because it is much easier for people to find their names!

@Mimitrue cute boxes! Where did you find those?

MATT!!!!!!!!!!!! That was gorgeous!!!!! You need to stop making me tear up. You two are so cute together and I hope our wedding is as beautiful as that.

Ok, Ashley sorry to hijack lol

Do it by Tables, list on the cards in Abc order. Also you don't need a card for each person. A card for each invitation by each household is fine. For example if you invited the Smith Family and that included 4 people at table 10, that would cover them all. That will save you from having to do Andy Smith-10, Sue Smith 10, John Smith 10 and Samantha Smith 10.