SHOW THAT DETAILS MATTER WITH CUSTOM WEDDING PLACE CARDS
Congratulations! Not only have you found the “one,” but you have also made it through some big hurdles in your wedding-planning process. After weeks, months — or perhaps years — of planning your perfect day, you are finally choosing those finishing touches that will make the entire event come together beautifully. With over 1,000 unique handmade designs of wedding place cards (or escort cards), Minted has perfectly coordinated designs to help show your guests to their seats in style.
Our Minted wedding name cards are 3.5" x 2" and are available on your choice of our Signature, 100% Recycled, or Pearlescent paper. Choose between two styles: our escort cards and place setting cards can come folded or flat. Our folded options showcase a design on both the front and back, while the back of our flat designs is an elegant white.
HOW TO USE WEDDING NAME CARDS AT YOUR DINNER RECEPTION
Before you begin to design, personalize, and order your place setting cards, let’s first clarify what they are exactly, since sometimes the term is used interchangeably with escort cards. To help you determine whether or not you need place cards or escort cards, let’s first explain the different purposes between the two:
- The purpose of the escort card is to tell guests which table they will be seated at.
- The purpose of the place card is to tell guests which seat they will be sitting in, at the table.
If you need help in the future, think about the naming convention of each card — escort cards are meant to escort you to your table, while wedding place cards are meant to show you your place at the table.
Now that we have cleared this point, let’s dive deeper. You only need wedding place cards when you are hosting a wedding reception that will have assigned seats. Therefore, you will want to decide the seating chart (who is sitting at which table), and then create place cards and escort cards to reflect this plan.
Consult our Wedding-Planning Guide for tips and tricks that will explain the ins and outs of creating a memorable and well-functioning seating chart — from the initial planning stages to best practices for seating chart organization. We will also provide you with some informative wedding seat chart etiquette that you’ll want to take into account, such as how to keep track of RSVPs, when to begin to organize and create your wedding chart, and how to finalize a table layout that’s based both on final headcounts and the square footage of your wedding reception room.
Although this may be one of the smaller items on your wedding reception checklist, wedding place settings and escort cards may serve as one of the most important items on your list. The information you write down on each guest’s card can be anything you’d like it to be — it is your wedding after all! At a bare minimum, be sure to include the guest’s full name and table number. Additional personalized information could include their hometown, a favorite movie, a sports team they support, or a fun fact. This detail will make your guests’ presence even more special and will bring back fond memories and nostalgia. Place cards can also serve a dual function as a name tag for everyone at a table. They will allow your guests to identify one another, especially if they are meeting for the first time on your special day.
PROPER ETIQUETTE
Like all things tied to weddings and traditions, there are a few best practices with place setting cards and escort cards that are considered proper etiquette:
- Create a place card for everyone
Managing a guest list is stressful, especially if your wedding includes 100 or more guests. When you extend the option of a plus-one to your wedding guests, make sure you reach back out to them to confirm the spelling of the guest’s name, so you can have a place card for him or her that is accurate. This is a nice touch when it comes to table presentation. Now every single guest, whether you have met them or not, can feel included in the big event.
Minted makes it easy to upload the names of multiple guests in our customizer tool. Simply download our guest list template, copy, and paste the names from your guest list. Next, upload the list back to our website -- it couldn't be easier. We’ll take care of the rest by generating beautiful, customized place cards with each guest name printed. - Use your guest’s preferred name
If you have a friend whose name is Kimberly, but she wants to be referred to as Kim, it’s best practice to stick to the name your guest prefers. Since wedding place cards can be used as identifiers for guests at the table, you can start conversations off on the right foot by making sure everyone is being identified as they would like to be. The title of Mr., Mrs., and Ms. is not entirely necessary. However, if you would like to add some formality to the event, it is encouraged. Just note that the etiquette of titles is as follows:- Master is used for boys until the age of 7
- Mr. is used for men 18 years or older
- Miss is used for unmarried girls under 18
- Ms. is used for an unmarried woman who is 18 years or older
- Mrs. is used for a married woman
- Color coordinate your place cards to help your caterers.
If you have opted for a catered meal versus a buffet-style menu, do your caterers a favor and use your wedding place setting to indicate what meal each guest has ordered. Most Minted stationery options are offered in multiple colorways. Select complementing colors across one design to indicate whether your guest ordered the beef, the salmon, or the vegetarian option. You could also place a small colored sticker on the card as well. - Make sure names on the cards are legible.
During the shuffle and chaos of guests walking to your reception, it can be easy to misread place setting cards and escort cards, given their small stature. Make sure that the font size is large enough for your guests to make out their names, especially if your reception is in a dimly lit room. Minted offers over a dozen different font options from which you can choose to design your cards. You can even adjust the size of the font to ensure legibility from a far distance. - Consider the setting of your wedding.
As you plan your wedding, make sure to think holistically about the details. When selecting a place card, think about the context of where it will be on the table. Will there be florals, candles, table napkins as well? If so, you will want to ensure that the entire set complements one another.
Minted’s wedding place cards have designs that match back to our invitation suites, including table numbers and custom menus. With Minted, every aspect of our exclusive designs is customizable to ensure that every detail, no matter how big or small, is just right. Want your card printed in a color that we don’t offer? Simply write a note to one of our design associates for guidance. If you have any additional special requests, our wedding perfection team is here to help. Please feel free to submit a special request while customizing your design or use our online chat tool for instant guidance.
UNIQUE IDEAS FOR PLACE CARDS
When thinking about styling your wedding end-to-end, don’t neglect to consider your guest’s experience as they are looking for their seating arrangement. To surprise and delight your guest after your ceremony, consider a few of these unique and special tabletop options:
- Trinket Boxes: Place your guest’s wedding name card on top of a trinket box or giveaway box and keep a surprise hidden along with the card. When the guest picks up their name card, they can then reveal the surprise box underneath. A few ideas for what to include in the trinket or giveaway box are:
- Flowers: A miniature flower or flower petals could be a nice surprise appropriately themed for a botanical wedding.
- Mints: Help them cleanse their palate after dinner with some well-placed mints or chocolates.
- Polaroid Cameras: Place a polaroid camera at each wedding place setting so that guests can act as your photographers and snap candid and behind-the-scenes pictures of your special night.
- Greenery: If your wedding has a more tropical vibe, pair your tropical-themed seating card with a monstera leaf or a banana leaf. It can be a fun way for guests to find their seat, while also naturally decorating their table setting.
- Champagne: What better way to greet guests at their dinner table than with a mini bottle of champagne or a toast already poured out for them? Use one of our luxe Minted ribbons, available in high-quality materials in a range of colors and textures. Use our ribbons to help fasten your wedding place card to the neck of the champagne bottle or around your glass. This finishing touch is an extra elegant embellishment.
- Wedding Place Card Themes: Whether or not you’re using a place card template, your wedding table place cards must fit into the overall theme of your big day. Minted offers many styles of wedding name place cards:
- Rustic wedding place cards focus on natural elements and low-key sophistication. Choose this style for an outdoor event or to showcase your eco-friendly personality.
- Classic and elegant wedding place card ideas include formal designs with foil-pressed details, simple solid-color options and minimalist cards with an uncluttered feel.
- Bohemian and vintage-inspired wedding place cards fit well with both traditional and contemporary styles. Elevate these options with Gloss-Press or foil-pressed printing for personalized wedding place cards that stand out.
- Place Card Holders: If you have an outdoor wedding, consider the risk of having these petite cards blowing with the wind. Make sure you have a way to fasten the cards to the table so your guests know where to head back to after they’ve returned from the dance floor.
Minted offers place card holders which are available in multiple shapes and sizes, including holders in chic metals and wood. Transform your tablescape with our modern, elegant cardholders. Once the party is over, keep your place card holders after your event to display personal photos or holiday cards.
ADDITIONAL ELEGANCE AFTER YOUR WEDDING DAY
Finalizing the beautiful details of your wedding is not only rewarding, but also a relief. Once you have had time to look back on the wonderful journey that has led to your special day, don’t forget to show your gratitude to your wedding guests by sending a thank you card. Minted has a large selection of flat and folded thank you cards designed to match stationery that you used during your wedding.
