As your wedding day draws near, your focus shifts to a very important part of your affair, developing a seating plan. For some, this might be viewed as a daunting task, but with careful thought (and a little diplomacy); you can create a seating arrangement that will provide a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone.
You may wonder why you even need to have a formal seating plan. Wouldn’t it be easier to just let your guests choose where to sit? Not really, especially if you’re having a moderate to large reception. Knowing in advance where they’ll be sitting removes a lot of anxiety for your guests, particularly those from out of town or who only know the bride or the groom. Seating arrangements can help guests avoid feeling awkward, and, as mentioned earlier, with some thought and diplomacy, can allow you to seat together those guests with compatible interests or sprinkle the more outgoing individuals among shyer ones. There’s much to be said for advance planning, and creating a comfortable setting for your guests will ensure that they have a wonderful time.
So, after much thought, time, and effort reviewing the floor plan and experimenting with various arrangements, you’ve made your final decision. Now you must decide how to get them to their seats. You have a few options here that, depending on how formal or informal your event is, will guide your guests and keep them informed. Let’s discuss what those options are.
Escort Cards. Generally, these cards are used in the most formal seating plans. They tell guests which table they are seated at. An escort card is a card contained inside a small envelope. The guest’s name is written on the envelope and the table assignment is written on the card inside. You can write on the card, “You are seated at table ,” or, you can just write the table number assignment. To add a personal touch, you could write a short note to each guest. A tent card, folded at the top, could also be used as an escort card. Don’t let the formality of the escort card thwart your creativity. Decorate them with ribbons, bows or anything that complements the theme. The escort card directs guests to their assigned table, where their place card awaits at their designated seat.
Place Cards. Place cards can be used alone or with escort cards. When used with an escort card, the place card designates which seat the guest has been assigned at the table, and is positioned at the head of the place setting. In this instance, the place card only contains the guest’s name. When used alone, place cards are set out alphabetically near the entrance to the reception and include the guest’s name and table assignment, allowing guests to choose their own seat when they arrive at their table. Besides assisting guests in finding their seats, place cards serve another useful purpose, particularly when guests seated together have never met before; they can help guests remember their dinner companion’s name. Tent cards are the most commonly known place cards, but you can also use small cards placed in a decorative place card holder.
Seating Chart. The seating chart is an alphabetical list of guests’ names with their designated tables. The seating chart can be displayed in a pretty frame near the entrance to the reception. You can use place cards at the tables to assign guests to a specific seat if you like.
Tags: place cards, place card etiquette, escort cards, seating arrangement, seating chart
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