(Photo by Jessa Anderson)

As wedding planners, there are tons of little nuances that seem obvious to us, but that we see brides being confused by. Of course this is a major perk of working with us, but I wanted to take a moment today to explain a simple one that we continuously get asked about – and that’s Escort Cards vs. Place Cards.

So what the heck is the difference?!

(photo by Untamed Heart Photography)

Escort Cards are there to escort you to your seat. Meaning they will be clearly marked with your name and appropriate table number. They are traditionally placed on a table near the entrance of the dinner room to assist guests. Recently there have been many new alternatives to escort cards such as large seat assignment boards or mirrors. Another idea is to combine this with your wedding favor, for example by gifting your guests with a mini succulent that has their escort card attached.

Place Cards are for designating your place at a specific table. They will only list your name and will mark your individual seat once you arrive at your distinguished table. Place cards are usually found at more elegant and traditional weddings and are an excellent opportunity to flaunt sophisticated calligraphy.

Something to keep in mind is that place cards are always optional for your wedding while escort cards (or a variation of them) are definitely not. Even at more casual weddings, guests will stand at the entrance looking like a deer in headlights waiting for someone to tell them where to go. Do them a favor an eliminate the confusion for them.

We would love to hear how you are handling the seating at your wedding! Are you splurging on both escort and place cards? Do you have a unique idea for the table? Let us know in the comments!