Seating chart vs escort cards

I have 227 guests confirmed and I'm doing a seating chart. I'm only assigning tables. The guest can choose which seat at the table they want to sit in.

I have around 150 and will be doing escort cards. I had space for a cute layout and prefer being able to pick up my card and carry it with me than memorizing a layout and trying to remember where to go.

Seating chart for 220...it was so much easier. Plus I didn't want to see the escort cards of the people who no-showed sitting on the table unclaimed and piss me off about the money we wasted on them because they said they would be there, but in the end didn't come

ETA: Guests were listed alphabetically with table numbers next to the names. The table numbers were pretty easy to figure out...they started with 1...then went to 2...then 3...

I did escort cards for tables. It is now 4 days before my wedding, and I had an added guest. I am able to easily print an additional seating card for the person without the added cost or headache of reprinting a mega sign.

Escort cards are normally set up alphabetically where seating charts are by table. Guests should be able find their name faster with cards.

I have approx 170 guests

We are inviting 150 guests.

We are doing escort cards because it spreads it out over a table; it's easier for people to find their name in alphabetical order; I didn't want people crowded around one large picture frame trying to find their name and table #.

We're doing a rotating postcard stand with postcards from our area. They'll have "Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Table 2" where the address would go. Does that count as escort cards?

We will have 180-200 and we are doing escort cards. I think it's easier for guests - like Jeanne said, they can keep their card and not have to remember during cocktail hour. Also if you are having a plated meal your caterer will need indication of who ordered what and escort cards are where you do that.

We planned/paid for 84 guests and we had a dinner buffet. About 74 showed up. We had a seating chart where we only assigned tables. A couple of guests seated themselves at a different table than we'd assigned because they ended up the only ones at their assigned table (the other 6 people at their table didn't show up). Other than that, the seating chart alone worked out just fine.

@Laura Marie that sounds so cute. I'm doing a seating chart for about 100 people. I just happen to find a seating chart on Pintrest and liked it so I created my own version.

@Lydia Thank you!! I'm *hoping* it works but I'm concerned it might get a little crowded. Whatever, I think it'll be fine.

Thanks girls, you've all been so helpful! My fh wants to do a seating chart but I think escort cards would be much easier for the guests. I will show him this thread and see if it changes his mind at all

We did escort cards because we had to have a significance for who ordered what food wise. We had small star stickers on the side to differentiate. We had 90 people in attendance, and only 2 no-shows, so we didn't worry about those left on the table

ETA: didn't assign specific seats, just the tables

We're doing escort cards for about 120 people simply because our favors (bottles of wine) will serve a duel purpose as the place cards. Seating charts just aren't for me.

We are doing escort cards for 180 people; designated tables but they pick their own seats. I bought cute leaf ones that fit in with our theme.

I'm doing both.. Seating chart poster directing them to what table to go too and then escort cards on the table telling them which seat.

We're just doing a seating chart with names listed alphabetically with the table number next to it,

I chose to go with a seating chart! It was so much easier & I was able to create mine in one night!! (I've attached a picture of it)

We only had 85 guests so it was quite small. I just found it easier to create a seating chart than individual cards. We also only have two options for dinner (& only 3 people chose option #2) so that made my choice to go with a seating chart a lot easier!

Typically if you have more than one dinner option, the venue asks you to differentiate the meal choices with a jewel or sticker on the escort card.

We are doing escort cards, because our meal was a plated choice and we need a way to tell the servers who eats what!

We will be doing seating chart. We are not sure how many guests we will have yet.

The seating chart will be alphabetical (just like @Maltese said). We are also doing assigned seats (but this is because the back of each place card will be color coded for the catering staff).

The reason we decided not to do escort cards is because guests can misplace them. My reception venue is two floors, with cocktail hour upstairs and the reception downstairs. My venue coordinator stated that usually what happens is that guests pick up their escort card and then just place it down somewhere. Pretty much, He encouraged the seating chart idea because it takes less space than an escort card table and it completely reduces the chance of a guest misplacing the escort card.

However, the down side to the seating chart is a line forming. We are hoping that the alphabetical order will decrease the time spent around the seating chart.

ETA: The placecard will be doubling as the favor. (It's a mini snow ornament/place card holder).

We are assigning seats, not just tables, and using escort card "booklets." Each booklet will have a thank you note from us and the menu for the evening. All the cards will be strung up with black and white ribbon and will hang as a wall display, in alphabetical order. Because this is the most recent thing we decided for the wedding, I'm attaching photos of the mock ups