table numbers..assigned seats..Help please

Most wedding's I've been to have had an escort card table when you enter with little card or something with the guest's name and table written on it. The tables are numbered or named and then you take your little card to your table and pick a seat.

You use escort cards. You put each guests name and table number on the card. They are generally arranged alphabetically and you can either place them on a table near the entrance for the guests to pick up as they come in or use any number of trendy and creative ways to display them. We are having a fall themed wedding and our escort cards look like fall leaves that we will hang from a wishing tree.

If you want to assign tables you can do escort cards or a seating chart (poster). Just have it displayed in a location that most guests will easily see.

Picture One: Poster type seating chart

Picture Two: escort cards

The most cost efficient way is to create a seating assignment board. It's just a large poster with people's names in alphabetical order with their seat assignment listed by their name. Here is an example:

I am using an old window pane, and writing all the guests names alphabetically with their table number next to their name. I am hoping this will be easy, and guests can find their name fast and go straight to their table! Their escort cards with their dinner choice will already be on the table.

We are doing this but a little bit differently... We are having seating charts posted around the venue with people's names and their table number and then there will be an escort card at each plate showing where each guest should sit. Honestly I don't care if they move places at the table, but we have an indicator on the escort cards that tell what meal the individual chose and the caterer has to have that visible. I was scared by having a escort card table people would find their table and then put their card in their purse or lay it down somewhere.

I've seen people incorporate their favors into escort cards which is a neat idea. Either that or a seating chart like @Kat pictured!

A poster?!? HOW SMART! I've never seen this before! It just seems so much simpler! And less expensive?

Escort cards..

We're using escort cards to assign tables (not seats), but that is because we are having a plated meal and need to be able to show each guest's meal choice. If you're not doing that, then it's probably easier to go with the seating chart poster that several of these wonderful ladies have shown you pictures of

I am making pinwheel escort cards for ours (by table, not by seat). I don't have any food things, because we are having a buffet, but I wanted to make pinwheels

I also heard, and totally agree with: ALWAYS sort by last name, NOT by table number. People obviously don't know what number they will be, so it causes them to stand at the table/board for much longer, searching, than if they are sorted by name.

All the ideas on here are great!

We have to provide a type of 'sign' for the server to know what meal each guest chose. I plan on doing something on the escort card, like a different color flower to specify their meal selection.

I did a framed sign, similar to what Carrie posted. I should have made it larger/more readable for our older guests, but it worked just fine, even without the escort cards. It was on the front table, where the guest book would be placed. The venue coordinator and other staff helped people locate their seats.

We named our tables after streets in New Orleans where we met, then used those on the escort cards.

We are assigning table numbers and using a chalkboard to display them...very similar to the picture on the left. We bought a huge frame from the Goodwill for $15. My mom painted it off white (it was an awful gold when purchased). We removed glass and hideous painting inside. Bought foamboard ($5) and painted it with chalkboard paint ($3). Mom has awesome handwriting so she will write the table numbers and the guests at that table (free!). We are placing this on an easel on a table near the entrance to the dining tent at our venue. Our programs have a quick note suggesting guests check for their table number during cocktail hour so we can avoid a cluster at the seating chart right before seating for dinner.

We also used escort cards that matched our invitations and menus.