Seating Chart, Place Cards, or Escort Cards?

I am already married and we did place cards that looked like hockey tickets (husband's loves hockey). We had a place card for each person and they indicted the table number, but they could pick their own seat at the table. I think it would be a lot more complicated to assign a specific seat. As long as they are sitting at the table you've assigned I don't think it matters what chair they sit in.

We just used escort cards to guide our guests to their tables, not particular seats. I can’t think of any reason why we needed to tell them which chair to sit in once they found the correct table.

Escort cards give the table assignment (they escort the guest to the table) and then place cards indicate the assigned seat (place) the guest is to sit in.


Typically you have either a seating chart or an escort card. I prefer escort cards because you can just grab and go. I also always like to just grab it before the ceremony if available and put it in my purse to avoid the crowds later. With an escort card, you can also refer back if you're like me and forget the table # a minute after looking at the listing. I always have to go back to a seating chart at least one more time because I'm a spazz. Also, it is easier to make last minute changes with escort cards if needed since you can buy some blank Avery tent cards for about $10 and print them at home using the free templates available through Avery's website. If you have to change something with a seating chart, you have to reprint the whole thing. Also, then you need an easel or something, while you just need a table for the escort cards.
Almost every wedding I've been to has been on the more formal side, but never had assigned seats, just assigned tables. Unless you have some very specific family drama you need to nip in the bud or are having just like 2 or so long tables, seat assignments aren't really needed--table assignments alone are typically enough.

View Quoted Comment What a cute idea! Thank you for the feedback!

View Quoted Comment Thank you!

View Quoted Comment You're welcome 😀

View Quoted Comment This is wonderful and so many points I hadn’t thought of! The last wedding I went to, we had assigned seats at assigned tables, and the wedding before that was open seating, so it’s helpful having feedback on what is “common”. My venue contact said she’s only had 1 bride do assigned seats in her 34 years there, haha. I definitely liked the assigned seats at the wedding I went to, but I understand how it could be unnecessary. That couple did special seats for the wedding party (which I was in - we had upgraded “couch like” double seats for us and our guest), so I get why they would need assigned seats but I wouldn’t!

View Quoted Comment Yeah, we mixed the bridal party with their friends and family and had a sweetheart table. We just made sure that the tables with the bridal party (since most of them were friends or immediate family, they were sat together along with a few others) were close to the sweetheart table. No fancy chairs though lol. I can see how that situation calls for assigned seats, and also how the experience of 2 extremes of open seating and assigned seats would lead you to lean more towards the more organized option. I feel like assigned tables are a happy medium and the most common (in my experience). Another plus of escort cards is you can use them to save your place. Like, I can drop my and my husband's escort cards onto our plates and then go to the bathroom and grab a drink without having 1 of us sit and "save" the seats.

We did had place cards on a table when guests entered the venue. They were set up in alphabetical order and gave the name, table number, and symbol coordinating with meal choice. Guests were allowed to choose their own seat at the assigned table. This has been pretty typical for weddings I have attended.

I have both a seating chart and place cards only because I have banquet tables that seat 8 and there’s two or three of them lined up. There are some social groups of 9 or 10 so I wanted to make sure that those people were still sitting by each other - especially if it was just 1 person in the social group seated at the adjacent table. Not sure if that makes sense. I was originally doing circle tables and was not going to do place cards because I didn’t think it was necessary because I didn’t run the risk of people being separated from their social group.

We're just using placecards with our guests' name, table number, and meal choice. We don't have any reason to assign them to a specific seat. I've never been to a wedding where specific seats were assigned, so I would agree that's probably unnecessary.

Well I was doing number tables yes but want people who know each other and then those who dont may place them randomly at tables but hoping that they will have fun with whom ever they are aeating with

I am doing a big frame that displays the names and table numbers.. then once they get to their table I've assigned seats with these name place cards. Honestly there's no reason for me doing this other than wanting to use these name place cards as an added touch. I think most times an escort card is fine and easier. But if you're having a destination wedding like myself and the resort prefers assigned seating, or just love the esthetics of an actual seating chart (they are very pretty with flowers around them), go for it!

We were originally going to do a table seating chart, but we have 195 guests and didn't want the chart to be overcrowded with names and tables! We've decided to do place cards with the guests' name and table number so they can pick where they want to sit.

We're going to get 3 frames and have the cards clipped to strings. There will be polaroid cameras and a sign instructing them what to do. Basically, they take 2 photos of themselves, one for us and one for them to keep, and find their name. They take their name down and replace it with their photo! We'll even have mini note cards that they can write a note to us on to include with the photo. Our plan is to take them after the wedding and put them in a book!

Etsy designers have really made me consider place cards at seats. Such a nice, personal touch! But, for my wedding (150+) and multiple circle tables, the grab-and-go escort cards are more functional, as mentioned by another poster. I am even less inclined to have a poster or etched mirror seating chart as this may cause crowds searching for their names, or even memory errors. I hate lines. But, oh if I had one long, family-style rectangle table, I'd have my guests names etched in beautiful agate to touch up the table setting. Best wishes!

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So fun! We are doing polaroid cameras instead of photo booth, too.

I always prefer a seating chart. Place cards require your guests to walk all through the reception area and stare at each place setting until they find their own. I think escort cards are pointless, unless they are indicating a meal choice. Seating charts are easier, take up less space on the table, and prevent your guests from wondering aimlessly.

Personally, I'm team escort card over seating chart - it's nice to be able to carry the physical reminder to your seat and claim it in case you need to walk away while people are still being seated. I'm not too concerned about people sitting in a specific seat, though. If some people (like parents or wedding party) want a specific seat (like so my dad or FH's mom can easily get up for the parent dances), I'll print reserved signs to hang from their chairs.

Escort cards are SO much easier - just point people to a table and you're done!. Seating charts are a pain and people always organize them by table, which makes no sense because people If you decide to do the chart, please organize by last name! So it would look like:

Appleseed, Johnny - Table 1

Banana, Charlie - Table 2

We ended up going with this for our table assignments. We didn’t want people to grab an escort card with the potential of them having put it down somewhere and then not knowing what table they were seated at. We think it worked out well; there was never a line and it also served as our welcome sign.