Different types of name cards: place cards vs escort cards vs name cards

One of the main questions we get asked at paperlust about this topic is what are escort cards? Place cards and escort cards at a wedding are almost the same thing: wedding name place cards with the name of your guest written on them to help guests find their seat. The difference is that wedding escort cards are placed at the entrance to your event, while place cards are on the table as part of the place setting.

Place cards for wedding and seating charts are used at the door to help guests find their seat. A guest finds their name and the appropriate table number, and heads to that table, where their place setting indicates where they should sit. Instead, a guest may find their escort card at the door. The escort card usually has both the guest’s name and the table number they are to sit at, directing them to the right place. There may still be place cards at the table to help guests find the right seat, or guests may be allowed to choose their own seat on the appropriate table. 

Whichever kind of name cards you choose, our place card templates are the right place to choose your perfect design.

Wedding place cards can add that special touch to your wedding day

Whether your wedding celebrations are big or small, formal or casual, personalised wedding place cards are a unique touch to add to the day.

Wedding stationery might be overlooked and thought of as not as important as other wedding day details, but it is with these perfect finishing touches that you can create the wedding of your dreams.

Imagine how impressed guests will be when, after watching the stunning wedding ceremony and arriving at a wedding venue that takes their breath away, with tables that are decorated with beautiful flower bouquets and lovely tableware, they find a personalised wedding place card with elegant lettering and a colour pallet and design that perfectly complements every other element of the wedding. It is the small details that can make your wedding perfect. A nice touch for those guests with special dietary requirements is to use wedding place cards with meal choice printed on them (or escort cards with a meal choice). This helps keep away anxiety for those guests of yours who may have a critical dietary requirement. 

When you’re enjoying your special day, you don’t want to have any worries. Wedding place cards make it easy for your guests at the reception to know where they’ll be sitting without having to try and sort it out on the night.

Choosing name cards for wedding tables is easy with Paperlust: we have the best on our site for you to choose from. 

Details matter: get your name place cards just right

It’s important that your guests rsvp so you can plan all the details of the day, and if you’re planning to have name place cards, then you don’t want to end up ordering more than you need for guests who aren’t coming. You will have already checked the spelling of everyone’s names when you sent out the wedding invitations, at least you should have, but it doesn’t hurt to double check the spelling to make sure there are no mistakes on your named personalised place cards.

There are plenty of different aspects of the design of your name place cards, from the colour pallets to the style of lettering. Paperlust has some great wedding place cards ideas including our exclusive range of die cut place cards. 

Our range of table place cards for weddings can tie into your overall theme and match all your other Paperlust wedding stationery. We have a large range of rustic wedding place cards but also a good selection of classic, cute or modern. Our talented Australian designers can also create something truly unique and extraordinary for your stationery. Because we’re Australian, we can also design Australia-specific place cards to match your location, including place cards Sydney inspired and place cards Melbourne inspired. When you choose place cards to match your city, everything goes together perfectly.

Where to print wedding place cards and when should I order my placecards?

It’s best to order your placecards when you order the rest of your wedding stationery, so it doesn’t get forgotten or left to the last minute. Free wedding place cards templates are available from online marketplaces, along with printable wedding place cards, however these will be limited by the functionality of your home printer. You would miss out on a professional printer's options such as folded wedding place cards, white ink printing, gold foil or die cut finishes. There is also the option to create your own handwritten wedding place cards, however it is not ideal for large ceremonies. 

Place card etiquette

When planning the wedding reception, it is worth giving some time to a seating plan. This might seem rather formal, but if you’re having a sit-down reception and intend to have place cards, then you’ll need to think about where everyone will be sitting.

Escort cards vs seating chart

Wedding escort cards etiquette has changed over the years with the emergence of seating charts. Whether you have escort cards or seating chart is down to personal preference, either are acceptable at weddings but it's generally accepted that you don’t need either if the number of people at a reception is less than 30, anything over this you will need escort table cards (with full name and table number on the card). You do not need escort cards and place cards, this is overkill.

The point of a seating plan is to ensure everyone will have a very good time, and that you don’t have any uncomfortable situations of people sitting with people they don’t know or worst case, that they don’t like. There is nothing more stressful than having to worry about people getting along on your wedding day, and it’s something that no bride should have to worry about.

Once you’ve got your wedding guest list and booked your wedding reception venue, you can start having a look at where your guests will be seated, whether it’s a small or big wedding, with long rows of tables, or lots of small round tables.

Table place cards for wedding and personalized wedding place cards

Wedding table place cards can have the names of the guests, and the name or table number on the back of the card if you want to save money on purchasing table numbers. Another cute idea is to merge the name cards and a gift tag so that you have thank you place cards. If you are after table name cards you can find those with our table numbers here.  Paperlust has a large range of gift tags here that can also second as unique wedding place cards.

First, start with placing the wedding party altogether, then start to divide up the rest of the wedding guests by couples or family groups that you want to be seated together and then group together people that you know will have a good time together. If you do have any guests that don’t know anyone else - be considerate about seating them with people you think they’ll get along with, so they don’t feel uncomfortable.

You can have a bit of a play around with your seating plan, discuss it with your partner, but once you’ve decided on it be sure to write it down so that when you get to the venue, someone can make sure all the place cards are put in their right spots.

Give your guests a little piece of your wedding day

Place cards are something that your guests can also keep and take home with them after the wedding. Just like with your stunning Paperlust wedding invitations, your place cards are a special piece of your wedding day that your guests are sure to love, so why not let them take them home to treasure?

Place cards a lovely way to show your guests how special they all are to you; they’re a great personalised touch. Place cards can be taken home by guests and turned into a lovely memory of a beautiful day. Place cards from a wedding are something that can be kept in a photo album amongst pictures from the day, or another very good idea is to have them framed and then your loved ones can display the beautiful cards in their homes.

Place card ideas: not just for weddings

While searching for place cards wedding is a distinct task that calls for the need of wedding place cards, there are plenty other times of which they are a useful and lovely addition.

No matter the occasion, whether you are planning a birthday party, engagement party, baby shower or anniversary party, place cards are a small detail that can make a big difference. There are plenty of theme options, so you don’t need to choose one that is suited just for weddings, you are sure to find a unique design you love to suit any occasion and style.

Place cards are a great idea for professional events as well. For any businesses that are hosting a brunch or dinner event, something that involves lots of seating, place cards help to create a beautiful place setting and let all the guests know where their seat is for the occasion.

Coordinating place cards with place settings

Place cards work best when they’re a carefully coordinated part of your place settings and work with your other table cards, place settings and your centrepieces. It’s important to think about the whole package when you choose your place cards. If you are going to diy wedding place cards, then the details are particularly important to make sure the paper type and texture works with the setting. 

The details of your place settings include: 

• Is there a table cloth? What colour is it?

• Are there place mats? What colour are they?

• What colour serviettes or napkins are you putting out? Cloth or paper? How are they going to be arranged at each place?

• What other table cards are you going to be using, and how will they be arranged?

 If you're seeking further information about place cards, which includes details about place card stands, you can discover it right here

Other table cards to coordinate with your name cards

Don’t forget to order your other table cards when you order your placecards, and try to make sure they work together to create beautiful tables. After all, your tables are the focus of your wedding reception or other sit-down event. 

The table cards to consider ordering include:

• Table numbers - to help servers and other staff members find the right tables for food and drinks.

• Menu cards - to let guests know what they’ll be eating. It’s up to you whether you provide a menu to each guest as part of their place setting, or just a couple per table.

• Decorative cards - some people like to use cards as part of their decoration or centrepieces, with cute images or with phrases like ‘hooray!’ on them.

Summary

Place card templates are like accessories for an outfit; they give everything that added a bit of polish, so the finished result is perfect! Paperlust has a huge range of wedding place cards templates that you can choose from to remove the stress from the task. 

Choose wedding stationery that complements the overall style and theme of your wedding, with every piece creating a unique touch that you and your guests are sure to love, is something that both bride and groom can be a part of. So let us at Paperlust help you to make sure every detail is just right for your wedding day. 

Check out our latest range of birthday cards here. Contact us at support@paperlust.co for help getting started!

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