Wedding escort cards – which show the name of each guest and tell them which table they will be sitting at – are one of the first things your wedding guests will see when they walk into your reception. So they need to make an impact. While the classical approach of laying them out in alphabetical order on a table is timeless, there are plenty of other approaches that can make that first impression a great one.
There are two main ways to change your wedding escort cards – by adapting the cards themselves, or by changing their presentation and opting for a larger seating chart. Your venue may be able to help with suggestions – just ask them about previous weddings, and they’ll likely have plenty of ideas to share.
A larger seating chart makes for a bigger focal point and can be made beautiful with decorative framing, calligraphy or flowers. You can also choose to either make one chart for the whole room or organize them by the table.
This approach is good for theme weddings, as seating charts lend themselves more easily to themed decoration. You can make custom seating charts in a wide variety of styles – from easels to chalkboards to sheets of acrylic – and can add illustrations and embellishments to add to their impact.
If you decide to stick with individual cards, there are plenty of ways to change things up. Think about altering the materials – pebbles and shells are popular for summer beach weddings, while marble tiles add some glamour to a sophisticated evening. You can also make things personal by choosing materials that are relevant to you as a couple – postcards or luggage tags for those who travel, event tickets for musicians or theatre fans, even pressed leaves for nature lovers.
The most important thing is that your cards demonstrate the atmosphere and aesthetic that you want for your wedding. If you prefer to keep things simple, it’s perfectly fine to stick to a minimal approach – but if you want to get creative and make a statement, there’s plenty of opportunities to do that too!
