Escort cards vs place cards
They look alike, but they answer two different questions: "Which table am I at?" and "Which chair is mine?"
Escort cards: which table
An escort card shows a guest's name and table number. The cards are arranged alphabetically on a table near the entrance, and each guest picks theirs up on the way in. Escort cards are a good fit when you assign tables but let guests choose their own chair, which is the most common approach.
Place cards: which seat
A place card shows only a name and sits at the exact seat. Use place cards when you assign specific chairs: at a head table, at a formal dinner, or when the caterer needs to know where each meal choice sits. If guests choose their meal in advance, a small note or symbol on the place card helps servers.
Seating display: one board instead of many cards
A single poster listing every guest and their table replaces escort cards entirely. It is quicker to make, easy to read for a crowd, and doubles as decor. Many couples use a display at the entrance plus place cards only at the head table. See display sizes and printing tips.
Which combination fits your wedding?
| You assign | Guests find their table with | At the table |
|---|---|---|
| Tables only | Seating display or escort cards | Table number cards |
| Exact seats | Seating display or escort cards | Table numbers + place cards |
| Nothing (open seating) | Nothing needed | Optional reserved signs for family |
Sizes and printing at home
- Tent cards are printed flat at 3.5 × 4 in and folded in half to stand as 3.5 × 2 in cards. Six fit on a landscape Letter or A4 sheet.
- Flat cards are 3.5 × 2 in, the size of a business card, and lie on a table or slip into a holder. Ten fit on one sheet.
- Use heavy matte card stock that your printer accepts. Print one test sheet on plain paper first and check the alignment.
- Cut with a paper trimmer rather than scissors for clean edges, then score the fold line with a ruler and a blunt edge before folding.
- Sort escort cards by last name before setting them out, and sort place cards by table so setting up each table is quick.
The free seating chart maker prints an alphabetical name-and-table list you can use to check cards. The Pro print studio lays out escort cards, place cards and table numbers on sheets with cut and fold guides, ready to print.