SEATING CHART VS ESCORT CARDS VS PLACE CARDS

By: Tessa Blizzard

Unless you have experience in event planning, you may not know the difference between seating charts, place cards, and escort cards. Southern Bash is here to help!

A Seating Chart is just that – a chart with names and table numbers. This can be on a mirror, large sign, list of the back of a program, or even a QR code. Seating charts are usually listed by table number, but if you have a large guest count, I suggest alphabetical order so it is quicker for your guests to find their names and tables.

Place Cards go one step further, directing each person to their exact seat at that table. So, you will need a seating chart as well as place cards. Some couples use place cards to ensure friends and family sit by people they know. If you are doing place cards, please know these take lots of time and effort to create and set up, so have a conversation with your planner before the big day!

Escort Cards are usually small cards placed at a welcome table. Each card has the guest’s name and table number so then guests can physically take their card and find their table. If you have escort cards, no seating chart is needed in addition.

If you are doing a plated meal with a choice of food – you will need escort cards or place cards with a symbol of the food so your wait staff can move efficiently. For this type of dinner, remember ease is key – we need these symbols easy for the waitstaff to determine the food choice – no one likes to wait on their food! Cute stickers of meal choices can be found on Amazon or Etsy.

Seating charts, place cards and escort cards come in many forms, however, the result of them should always be for your guests to find their seat with ease. These need to be ready for cocktail hour before the guests head into the reception area.

Whatever you choose, your Southern Bash wedding planner is well-versed in all of these things. We even offer a mirrored seating chart rental as an add-on to our services. Happy wedding planning!