What is the etiquette on how to write out place cards for guests?

Place cards are usually done per person.

Like Teresa said, I think they're usually for each person.

My venue said to do them per couple or per family. For example my FH's cousin has 2 kids coming. So I would write Mrs. Jane Doe and Family. Or I may write Mrs. Jane Doe and then underneath write Ally and Luke. For just couples I am writing Mrs. and Mrs. John Doe. If they are not married I will write Ms. Jane Doe and Mr. John Smith. If they have a guest I will write Ms. Jane Doe and Guest. I don't know all the guests names so they cannot have their own card.

I'm doing mine the same way as Jamie

Thank you ladies!

I will be putting one at every seat, but the families will say "Smith Family" on each card, for example. In my case, I don't have any duplicate last names outside of the individual families, so it won't be an issue. My escort cards will only say a table number and then it'll be up to the guests to find their specific seat(which makes me wonder if I should just do seat numbers, too, so they realize to look). But anyways, for the plus one's, I have no idea what I'll do. I'll probably just get their names. Including plus one's, we're not expecting any more than 100 at most, so it wouldn't be too difficult. I suppose if someone is bringing a plus one but not sure who I could always put "John Smith and guest" on both of their place cards.

I did mine as per person or per couple. We are having a separate table for the kids and there are only 6. So for example they say Mr. & Mrs. or just the name.

Place cards are individual cards that are set on the table at each place setting. If this is what you are doing, then of course it's one name per card.

Escort cards are the cards placed in the foyer/lobby that have the names and table number. If this is what you are doing, then the card matches the invitation. If your cousin and daughters were invited with one invitation, then they all go on one card. If the daughters received their own invitations, then they would have their own escort cards. Same thing if you do a chart instead of cards..

Thanks for the info!

I was going to do per person and when it came to a guest bringing an unknown named guest, I was going to do this.... Doe, John - Guest.

BUT

Jamie has a really great idea... and it saves on the amount of cards being used.

I am just doing it by each person and really we didn't invite unknown guests unless the person was in a seroius relationship so we would know their name.

I like the idea of the whole family on one card, there are some guests that I know but who they're bringing I don't know them well at all if I don't know their last names, I guess I should just make them "guest"