Wedding stationery sure can seem complicated! Today we’ll be explaining the differences between place cards and escort cards to clear up some of the confusion.

Escort cards are usually displayed on a board or table at the entrance of a wedding reception. Each card has a guest’s name on it, along with what table they’ll be sitting at. Guests pick up their respective cards and head to their specified table. The cards go with them and literally escort them to their seat! The guest can pick whichever seat they’d like when they get to their assigned table, unless there are additional place cards there indicating which seat each guest is supposed to sit in.

Place cards always have the guest’s name on them, and they are found at the specific place setting the guest is supposed to sit at. Place cards not only let the guest know exactly where they’re supposed to sit, but they also function as a name tag for everyone else at the table. In some occasions, place cards also indicate which meal was chosen by each guest. Place cards are always used at formal weddings.

For formal weddings, place cards are recommended and escort cards are optional. For casual weddings, escort cards are recommended and place cards are optional. Escort cards and place cards can both be used at a wedding if that’s what the bride and groom prefer!

We offer both place cards and escort cards in every design suite, so you can have matching wedding stationery from start to finish!