Seating charts for weddings are more and more popular each year. A perfect alternative to escort cards and place cards, here are the TOP 10 REASONS why you should consider a seating chart for your wedding or event.
Seating charts just aren’t a simple list of names. When designed, they are another source of decor for your wedding. We always use our client’s invitation design and fonts to create our seating charts. This gorgeous seating chart has the graphic from her Italy destination wedding invitations with a hand sketch of the villa where the wedding is taking place. We can design your seating chart around any theme or inspiration you could ever want!
Check out the invitations for this Italian Wedding
9. Seating charts make a great keepsake to hang in your home after the wedding
Many of our clients hang their seating charts in their home after the wedding. They make a wonderful keepsake and a reminder of your wedding day and the guests. We often design seating charts with the menu from the event or add the bridal party. Our seating charts are always designed to fit standard size frames that can be bought at any local store.
8. Seating charts are usually displayed on an easel making them at eye level and easier to read
Your guests don’t have to lean down to look at cards displayed all together on an escort card table. Seating charts can be hung, placed on an easel or a top a table. Simply by putting the list of the guests’ names in alphabetical order, a seating chart is a much more functional piece than escort cards.
7. Place cards and escort cards can be a mess
We often hear from wedding coordinators that guests pick up their escort cards, starting talking (or drinking) and leave the cards around the cocktail area. Since the guest knows their table at that point, the card gets forgotten; leaving the staff and coordinators to pick up the left over cards.
6. A place card table looks good only until the first card is taken
You see the photos all of the time. The gorgeous place card displays and escort card tables with all of the cards lined up in a row. But now imagine the table after half the guests have taken their card. Now how about imaging it after everyone has their card and the few people that ended up not being able to make it, have the straggling cards left over. Seating charts avoid this issue and looks good all night long!
Photo Credit: Kristen Taylor
Are you ready to start the design process? Contact us with your seating chart ideas.
5. Seating charts typically have larger fonts than place cards
It may not appear that way in these photos, but the font size on seating charts is typically 16pt to 24pt or larger. Because the size of escort card tents is smaller, the font can typically only be 14pt to 16pt. We often get asked if older guests can read a seating chart. Our response is always that it can be read better than place cards.
4. Seating charts are more cost effective for larger weddings
When you consider that you have to pay for place cards on a per piece basis, seating charts are much more economical for a larger wedding. With a one time design and printing fee, one chart is a better choice typically when your guest list is more than 125 guests. With a seating chart for your wedding, you also don’t have to pay for flowers, linens, holders or other decor for using and displaying escort cards.
3. Seating charts eliminate the need for an escort card and a place card
Some of our clients still prefer to follow proper etiquette and have an escort card to direct a guest to their table and then a place card at their particular seat. This issue with this is the fact that now your guest has two cards to deal with. Where do you put the escort card? Are you supposed to keep it, display it, give it to the wait staff to throw it away? With a seating chart, the need for an escort card is completely eliminated, keeping your table design clean and uncluttered.
2. Seating charts are considered “green” – you aren’t wasting all of the cardstock for place cards and escort cards
This reason is a must for any environmentally conscious and green clients. Why use a ton of cardstock that just goes into the garbage? One large poster that can be kept is a better option that many pieces of cardstock.
1. The most important reason of them all! Brides want their wedding to be unique. A seating chart is very unexpected and different than the traditional place card
Seating charts can match the reception location, the invitations, a special theme or even have a photo. But seating charts can be printed on so many mediums. This 30 foot by 9 foot seating chart completely covered the front of this tent. Seating charts on mirrors, printed on large canvas, hung from old bed frames, window frames and printed on plexiglass are just a few ideas. If you can dream it, we can design and make it for your unique event!