I often get a blank stare when I mention "escort bill of fare" and "identify card" in the same judgement.

Champagne flute with gold marker in lieu of escort card, photographed by Vue Photography | The Pink Bride www.thepinkbride.com

Champagne Flute in lieu of Wedding ceremony Escort Card (Vue Photography via 100 Layer Cake)

It's understandable. Unless you lot grew up attending formal soirees (or had a grandma who was a stickler for formal customs at holidays), you likely have never heard of the difference. If you've heard both phrases mentioned earlier, you may have believed the two to be synonymous. Each serves a very unlike purpose, however.

From escort card etiquette to place carte du jour ideas, coil on for my exclusive Escort and Place Cards 101!

What'southward the difference betwixt an escort card and a place card?

For the tape, it's easy to get confused here. Some sources state that an escort card and identify bill of fare are the same affair – but with dissimilar implied formalities. These sources draw both escort cards and place cards equally a ways to tell guests at which table they're sitting and are placed almost the reception archway. Furthermore, these sources state that escort cards are more formal and may have an outer envelope with name and inner menu with tabular array number, while place cards are less formal and are ordinarily tented cards. The level of formality at your wedding would dictate which to utilize.

Yet, I've long understood escort cards and identify cards to be two totally different things, and I've written this mail service with the following in mind:

An escort menu serves the purpose of telling guests at which table they will find their seats, while a place menu tells guests at which seat they're sitting effectually the table.

When in incertitude in the future, consider the names! Escort cards escort you to your table, and place cards prove y'all your place at the table.

When do I need escort cards and place cards at my nuptials?

Yous only need escort cards and place cards if you're hosting a medium to large reception with assigned seating. First, decide which guests you'd similar seated at which tables, and then create the identify cards and escort cards to reflect your plans.

Hot tip: Write the table number in small-scale impress on the dorsum of each identify card so that information technology's easy to divvy upward when prepping the reception tables.

Do I have to apply escort cards and place cards at my wedding?

You can avoid using either if you plan to null assigned seating in general at your nuptials. Withal, I only advise foregoing cards if your wedding reception volition be small – think 50 or fewer guests. Otherwise, I do propose escort cards (and place cards!) for a number of reasons. To name a few, escort and identify cards take the drama and incertitude out of finding a seat for your guests, assistance control who sits nearest to y'all on the large day (Mom and Dad volition want the best seats in the house!), and encourage guests to find their seats rapidly to fix for your grand entrance to the party.

Where should I place my escort cards and identify cards?

Escort cards should exist bundled well-nigh the reception archway and very easy to spot. If you believe guests may arrive at generally the same fourth dimension, do not identify your escort card arrangement so shut to the reception entrance that it causes a line to form exterior the building!

Place cards should be set at each place setting effectually your tables to indicate where each guest should sit.

Wedding dance floor sign for escort card table photographed by Ashley Biess Photography, Escort Card Keys photographed by RomaBea Images | The Pink Bride www.thepinkbride.com

Wedding Dance Floor Sign for Escort Card Tabular array (Image: Ashley Biess Photography; Sign: marrygrams) ● Wedding Escort Card Keys – (RomaBea Images via Hymeneals Chicks)

How should I adjust my escort cards?

Make it easy for your guests to notice their seats past arranging your escort cards in alphabetical order by final proper noun. While this is a fabulous surface area to decorate for your guests, endeavor not to clutter your escort card table with and so much that it takes a long time to find guests' names.

How should I accost my escort cards?

Rather than create an escort card for every guest (like you would with identify cards), create an escort card for each party if seated at the same tabular array. Use the following for examples:

Married Couple: Mr. and Mrs. John Smith

Unmarried with Unnamed Guest: Miss Jane Doe and Guest

Single Couple: Ms. Jane Doe and Mr. John Smith

Family: The Smith Family

I only want to assign tables. Exercise I have to apply place cards also?

I suggest place cards unless you're opting for a very pocket-size nuptials with 50 or fewer guests.

In theory, equally long as guests know which table they should sit at, you tin be fairly confident that everyone will sit at the appropriate place. Exercise be prepared to have a few seating mishaps if yous leave out the identify cards, withal! Mistakes happen, and Aunt Gertrude might just plop down at Table half dozen instead of Tabular array ix and non realize her blunder until another guest arrives for his or her seat. Then at that place's ever the unexpected guest who RSVP'd with regrets but shows upwardly and takes a seat promised to someone else (still doesn't know it because you left out the place cards!). In whatever negative scenario, yous risk putting your guests in an embarrassing state of affairs.

Are at that place alternatives to using escort cards and identify cards for my wedding reception?

Weddings are ultimately a reflection of who you are and what you want your guests to experience, so you can always nix the formalities of cards and opt for something more creative! The nearly popular alternative to escort cards is a seating nautical chart. Practise be mindful that this could cause a traffic jam at the reception entrance, though, since guests won't be able to discover their names quite as easily as with an alphabetized escort card listing.

What other questions practise you accept virtually escort cards and identify cards?

Inquire me in the comments below!

Featured image courtesy of Christen Jones Photography.