Seating Chart vs Escort Cards

I don't think the seating chart is rude or impersonal, but I would be worried about a traffic jam. A lot of people will want to check the chart as they head into the reception to avoid forgetting their table, where as seating cards can be picked up sporadically. I would organize it alphabetically, instead of by table, so people can find their names more quickly. Also, if you're having a sit-down dinner (not buffet) your venue may require you to indicate the entree option of each guest on their seating card. That's something you should check on before making your decision.

We did a seating chart. No problem. We did, however, have two of them on either side of the room so that there would not a crazy jam.

I don't consider a seating chart to be rude but I'd do foresee possible logistic issues if you do that instead of escort cards.

1. If you're assigning tables but not seats people end up having to leave personal belongings at their seat to 'mark' it as theirs if they need to get up and go to the restroom, buffet, dance floor etc. If they don't do that it's very easy for late arrivals to accidentally take their seat and then it gets awkward. Or, they get up to dance and someone from another table takes their seat to chat with friends at the table.

2. If you are assigning seats, some people may end up sitting in the wrong seat because they misread the chart, again leading to awkwardness.

3. If you're having a plated dinner, it can be easier to indicate who ordered what by putting a mark or sticker on the escort card.

Overall I think that doing the seating chart vs. escort cards creates too much potential for uncomfortable situations so it's not something I would do. But you know your crowd, and especially if you're having a smaller wedding where most people know each other, you might be fine.

Just some food for thought.

I would be worried about traffic and people forgetting where they will be seated if they don't go straight to their seat from the seating chart.

@Abby you are thinking place cards not escort card. escort cards(or seating chart) tell you what table and place cards tell you what seat and you can indicate what meal the people ordered on them. You need both if doing a plated dinner and the staff needs to know what meal the picked. Also people will still take your seat if you get up and they come to chat with a friend.

I'm also not a fan of escort cards. I don't think seating charts are rude/impersonal. I've been to weddings that have had both & I personally prefer the seating chart. Both can cause traffic jams, especially when escort cards are all over the place & people are having a hard time finding their card. We're going to have ours displayed on a tv that the reception venue provides with the names in alphabetical order. Whichever one you end up choosing, I think the key is having the names in alphabetical order instead of by table #.

Thanks for all of the responses! Everyone's reassured me that my biggest fear- that my guests would be offended or find the chart impersonal- isn't something to be worried about. @anahidb made a great point- that traffic jams can happen with either option- so I'm leaning towards the seating chart again. So many things to consider with all of this wedding planning stuff! : )

Tim -

But keep in mind 2 other points -

1. CLaiming a "seat" at your table if you don't have an escort card to do that with.

2. If people are mingling, they may actually FORGET what table they are at, and have to go back over and over again to check. (ive seen it happen)

I admit, until I google it in a moment I don't even know what a escort is. as for a seating chart being rude. Weddings have them all the time. maybe I've heard of a few people not liking them, but that was because they didn't like who they had to sit with. but then I doubt they would have ever been happy.

I am doing a seating chart to tell people what table they are at as well as place cards already at their designated spot at the table which will have their meal choice on them.

I'm doing a seating poster instead of escort cards. I like the idea as I find escort cards can clutter the table. The good thing about poster boards is they can be moved around. So we will have the poster board set up in the cocktail hour space for that hour and people will have plenty of time to wander over and check their table. Then a staff member will move the poster to outside of the dining room just before guests file in so they can check the poster again at that time if needed. I think it will work out well.

My venue does not require a place card with a sticker to know which meal guests are eating.

I'm just making place cards with their name and their table number on it, and putting them all at a table when you first walk in. they'll be alphabetized for easy finding. and like someone said, the place card marks their spot they choose at the table to avoid anyone from taking their seat later on. a pack of 48 place cards is 4.99 at Michaels, and you can use 40% off coupon and get them for like $2 something. The package has a website on the front u can use to print them at home. so ultimately, it'll cost me about 10$ for place cards for 150 guests and whatever time it takes for me to get the template and type it up and print it all.

I am still debating this as well. I'm thinking of having my favors doubling as escort cards. We've made homemade jam so I might make labels from VistaPrint and just write everyone's name and table number on each one.

I recently left my job as a florist (for something more related to what I'm in school for). On SOOO many of the weddings I went to set up, I noticed seating charts. Or really... boards/lists. It can look so cute! Get a nice picture frame in a color related to your wedding (you can even spray paint it if it doesn't come in your color(s)). There are even vendors who make them custom for you. I definitely will be doing this. My sister is a graphic designer, and she will be making us a custom wedding "logo," which will be used on all STDs, invitations, signage, etc.

Thanks, everyone! Decisions, decisions...

I don't like the poster seating chart and prefer escort cards. I tend to go get a cold drink, chat with friends, forget my table, recheck, get a drink...lather rinse repeat.

Tim - I totally prefer a seating chart. Put it somewhere other than the doorway though. Somewhere where your guests will see it during cocktail hour.

I need escort cards because a) people forget before they get to their seat, and b) i need to mark meal choices and under 21 people...and this is the easiest way to do it. if you have a different way of designating meals, then seating chart is fine

Escort cards are essentially just a seating chart/arrangement broken down into individual pieces of paper rather than being on one big piece of paper. It's the same thing basically just a different form. A seating chart will be more cost and time effect since it's one piece instead of multiple. You can post the seating chart and give a copy to your usher so the usher can tell people their table number as well to prevent a traffic jam. Keep in mind though only a few families usually arrive at the exact same moment, keeping your inward flow of people steady but not causing a traffic jam.