Table assignments

We assigned tables, but not seats. Unless you are having a very formal, black tie wedding, place cards in assigned seats are not that common. We did escort cards (table assignments) rather than a board because it's easier for guests to just grab and go instead of crowding around all together (and easier to make last minute adjustments).

I'm planning on assigning tables, but not specific seats! I'm doing one card per person, since I also need to list their meal choice on their card (we're doing a plated meal).

Assign them to a table and let them pick the seat.


Individual name cards are the best option. They can be color coded if there is preselected meal choice and easier for waitstaff to identify from a distance over small ribbons/stickers/stamps. Guests grab their card from an alphabetical layout on a table near the entrance..they can refer to it quickly and easily if they get distracted on the way to the table with conversations by glancing at the card.
We decided to do this because we have both been to countless events where open seating was always a chaotic madhouse. Also the rare few events we have attended with charts where you find your name on a posterboard were equally chaotic. Very small print, usually in an illegible font and everyone crowds in. If you forget your assignment by someone chatting you up on way to the table, you have to start the process all over.

We assigned tables not seats. We used escort cards rather than a board. My husband loves hockey and baseball so ours looked like tickets to a game. We got the template from Etsy. We had one for each person. They were displayed on a table during cocktail hour in alphabetical order by last name.

We are assigning tables, but not seats. We are using a large mirror for guests to find their table assignments, and won’t have any escort cards since it will be a buffet.

We plan to do assigned seats. We will have escort cards for the table and then place cards for each designated seat. We'll be having an evening wedding, which is generally considered more formal (starting around 6PM followed by a cocktail hour and then the reception).

We figured with a plated meal it would make it easier for servers to pass out the food, prevent any awkward open seats that would leave someone without a place to sit and also prevent any potential drama from some relatives who love to be the center of attention when paired with certain people. Something similar to this.

We're doing both! We're having a big custom sign in alphabetical order to guide them to their table, and then we will have place cards to let them know their seat. Our venue requires place cards at each seat to designate their meal choices.

We assigned tables but not seats. We did one place card per person because guests pre-selected their meals when RSVP-ing, and we used symbols on the back of the placecards so that the caterer/servers knew who got particular meals.

View Quoted Comment Seems unreasonably strict. Generally the escort cards are color coded in some way. As an example, say your colors are red, pink, silver..get coordinating cardstock placecards on Etsy with red for beef selection, pink for chicken, silver for vegan. You make a list of how many of each at each table that you give to the caterer to let their wait staff know. No reason whatsoever to assign specific seats.

Hi!! We did just table assignments with individual cards. It was stressful enough so didn’t do individual seats 😂 We had a coastal theme so our cards were in sand filled, shallow clear containers (thank you Martha Stewart for the idea!!). We actually did island names for each table to use our theme (ex: Rose Island, Lobster Cay). Luckily we used heavy frames with the table names so they didn’t blow away outdoors!

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That's a great idea. Unfortunately, a lot of venues and caterers demand to go by their rules. As a planner myself, we normally just have a spreadsheet, the caterers have a copy, and things go off without a hitch.

We will be assigning tables, not seats. Because it's cheaper than guest/escort cards, we will have a seating chart. To make things a bit smoother, instead of having the names under each table number, we will have them in alphabetical order by last name like this:

View Quoted Comment I guess I should find out if it will be windy! Our reception is in an outdoor tent but I do believe the venue said we have to list their meal option on the guest card since it’s a plated meal. I’ll have to figure out a way to do that so they don’t blow away!

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Oh! Yea that would be kind of important. If you're doing guest cards then, maybe you can look into something weighted like acrylic. You can get them pretty cheap on Amazon. I found this website for a few ideas of Outdoor Escort Cards That Won't Fly Away. I hope you find some inspiration there (or anywhere) to resolve your "possibly windy" day. Good luck!

I only did a specific table but not specific seat

100% assigned! It keeps all the fuss to a minimum

View Quoted Comment Oh thanks for that suggestion!! I’ll look into that!

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You're welcome

We're doing individual place cards because we don't want 160 people all crowded around a chart at the same time. Everyone gets a table but they can pick their seat as I feel that will be most comfortable for them.

Did my sister's seating chart (I hated that dumb thing so much). Head table was the only "assigned" seats. As in bride and groom with best man and maid of honor on either side. The others I only assigned them to a table and let them be adults about it. Most can figure it out. I plan on doing a sweetheart table for mine then assigning to tables, only one to have an assigned place will be my mom who is wheelchair bound for the most part.