Post # 1
Member
227 posts
Helper bee
I’ve never been to a wedding where they did a seating chart rather than escort cards, but I’m almost considering it because it seems like it might be easier than making 100 escort cards. And i’ve seen it done many times on the Bee.
By seating chart I mean some kind of big display that lists either table #, and all the people at the table, or Last name initial, then next to it it would say what table you’re at. (the latter being the easier one to figure out I think.)
For example:
A
-Mr and Mrs John Adams, Table 1
B
-Mr and Mrs Joe Brown, Table 12
But I don’t want it to be a pain in the neck for my guests. Either way, I feel like they still have to look in ABC order to find their name, whether its on a big wall display, or in cards on a table.
Post # 3
Member
4485 posts
Honey bee
Seating cards are much easier for guests. They can pick up their card and go on their way. Charts are done so small that guests have to crowd in to see the info and then they may forget on the way to their table.
Post # 4
Member
1842 posts
Buzzing bee
Fiance and I are deciding this same thing. He wants cards and thinks they’ll be easier. I want a chart because it will be easier for me to do AND it will be placed on a large easel so it will require one less table.
@Ember78: Rather than crowding to see the chart, wouldn’t it be placed at the entrance of the reception and guests would walk past and look at the chart, just as they would walk past and pick up their card? I’ve never seen a chart at an actual wedding, so I’m sincerely just asking – I don’t see that there would be any difference?
Post # 5
Member
2095 posts
Buzzing bee
We are putting the escort card on the favor so it combines the two, would something like this be possible for you?
Post # 6
Member
4332 posts
Honey bee
I would totally forget what table number I was at by the time I got into the room if I didn’t have something in my hand to help me remember, lol!
Post # 7
Member
3253 posts
Sugar bee
I think the seating chart is easier for the bride and groom, and the escort cards are simpler for guests. I would do the escort cards just to help out the people who are coming out to support you…
Post # 8
Member
227 posts
Helper bee
@StormyRose: We considered this. We’re giving out homebrewed beer as favors but it wouldn’t work for a few reasons. A) Each guest is getting a beer (if they’re over 21, probably root beer for the kids). So, there’d have to be a bottle per person, rather than one escort card per group and that just seems kinda crazy to find the bottle with your name on it. B) We thought the beer bottles, if given out ahead of time, would clutter up the dinner tables – especially since we’ll have bottled beer at the reception and the empties might wind up on the tables. and C) we’d rather let the guests pick which beer they want on their way out that way they can try one they think they might like. We’ll have at least 5 different kinds.
Beer/hops is kind of our theme. Our invites have a bright-grass green vine going up the side with green leaves and green hops and a teal background. So, I’m thinking of ways to incorporate the hop plant or leaves into the escort cards.
Post # 9
Member
32 posts
Newbee
I am planning on doing a seating chart because I usually find at weddings that those escort cards just end up all over the place so to cut down on cost and waste we are going with the chart.
Post # 10
Member
74 posts
Worker bee
I think escort cards are better. I got my escort cards at party city, they come 50 in a pack for about $10. I bought two packs. Type the names on a template on Microsoft Word, print it out and boom, those were my escort cards. They were pretty too and every elegant looking. I would look into that if I was you. I also bought program paper from Party City and did my own programs too. They were really nice. Everyone was impressed.
Post # 11
Member
2095 posts
Buzzing bee
@retroindigo: We did DIY invites and I have extra paper for the programs and escort cards. We stamped our invites and will be stamping the programs as well, have you thought about that or maybe a colored image you can put on the card to incorporate your theme? Then for the under 21 you can have a different design so that it is easy to spot who gets what at the end?
Post # 12
Member
1690 posts
Bumble bee
with having only 5-6 tables, i am making a seating chart, and using place cards on the tables.
I am doing something similar to this, in a shabby frame, at the entrance to the reception, just one sheet of paper and i get the use the frame afterwards too.
easy peasy lemon squeezy…
Post # 13
Member
85 posts
Worker bee
We’re doing a seating chart – I designed it in Microsoft Publisher and had it printed and mounted at Staples, it measures 24×36 and is very easy to read. We’re also doing escort cards on the tables themselves as we had to indicate which meal preference each person requested. The seating chart was a bit under $80 (much less if you don’t have it mounted on foam board) and each escort card was 25 cents printed through a vendor on etsy, so in total it was about $110 for 120 guests
Post # 14
Member
2467 posts
Buzzing bee
i diy’ed our escort cards (paper bought at a stationary store, stamp, and handwritten names) and it was really easy. i think it’s easier for guests, esp bc we had about 150 people
Post # 15
Member
550 posts
Busy bee
My coordinator suggested I do escort cards. She has seen too many people crowd around one easel to see their table and have to go back to check again. Escort cards would be on a longer table so there wouldn’t be a crowd. If people forget, they can just look at their card rather than go back to the easel. Totally makes sense to me! I didn’t put too much effort into my place cards, as they will surely end up in the trash lol
Post # 16
Member
480 posts
Helper bee
Our escort cards are also our favors. I think escort cards are easier!