Is One Better Than The Other?

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I think this depends on the type of dinner you are having. Buffet, family style or formal plated dinner. With the first two you could do a seating chart. With a plated dinner you may be required to use escort cards and indicate meal choice for each individual. Ask your venue for advice and note any requirements they have.

I think there are at least two major advantages to escort cards over a seating chart. For guests, they can just grab their card, use it to find their table and to claim their seat. It also works if the venue requires needing to know the menu choice of each guest. Even with a buffet, the guests seat is "claimed." For the couple, if there are last minute changes in table assignments, escort cards take two minutes to change/make adjustments. On the other hand, a seating chart needs to be re-done or the hosts need to be okay with an obvious correction on the chart. As an added bonus, escort cards can be much cheaper than a custom seating chart.

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View Quoted Comment That makes sense. Thank you!

I'm doing a seating chart, but it's going to be made into a list that's done alphabetically by last name, and it will list table numbers, but also my favors will be on each plate, where the guest's name will be.

I'm going to have my MOH's set it up for me while I'm getting ready, since FH's groom's room is downstairs where the reception is being held.

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Oh. Interesting. That's a cute idea to have the favors on each plate.

I planned to do a seating chart by table number. I also have in place two hostesses to check people into the reception to make sure that they RSVP'd and the hostesses could also provide the guest with their table number in case the seating chart gets too crowded. But hopefully guests use the cocktail hour to take glance at the seating chart

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That makes sense too. Will the chart be in the cocktail area?

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Yes, this is the plan.

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Gotcha. Well I hope it works out well for you too.

I think escort cards are much easier for both the couple and the guests.

for the couple: escort cards leave you with the flexibility to change your seating plan if you want/need.

for guests: it’s ****x easier to find your name in an alphabetized arrangement of escort cards than it is to read an entire seating chart searching for your name at every table

This may be a dumb question, but where do you put the escort cards for guests to get them? Or does someone pass them out?

I have been to weddings with seating charts and there were honestly no issues. PP makes it seem like seating charts are difficult. People put it out during cocktail hour so there's no congestion when its time for dinner. They were also alphabetized making it even easier. Look and go. The last wedding I went to actually had both escort cards and a seating chart. It's whatever floats your boat.

View Quoted Comment Oh ok. Alphabetize the chart like you would the escort cards. Yeah, guess that doesn't sound too bad. Thanks