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Place
Cards and Escort Cards …
What is the difference?
By Tracy Bloom
Schwartz, CSEP
1.
This question comes up frequently and people use the word interchangeably.
In fact, there is a difference.
Escort
Cards: These cards are used to let each guest know what table
they are assigned to. The classic escort card is a small envelope
with the guest name on the envelope and the table assignment on
the card inside. You can use the words "You are seated at table
___ " or you can just give the table number assignment, as
the word table is implied. For a very personal touch, you could
write a note to each guest. A tent card, folded at the top, is also
as an escort card. The design of these cards is only limited by
your imagination. They can have bows, dried flowers, ribbons or
anything that compliments the theme. You can use any color of ink.
They can even be a "thing". We are doing a summer wedding
and using a heart shaped seed packet with an organza ribbon as the
escort card. At another wedding we are putting the card in a charming,
small silver and gold flowerpot, which then becomes a gift for the
guest. We have used colored stones. The important thing to think
about is that the guest has to hold on to this "card"
until they go into the formal part of the evening.
What
you write on the escort card: The most formal designation is:
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith. This is the same as how the guests were
addressed on the formal invitation envelope.
Informal alternative: Mary and Robert Smith
If someone brings a guest, you can either put their name on the
same card or you can have two separate cards. If you choose to use
one card for both, the woman should be listed first, though many
people put their invited guest first even if it is a man.
If a husband and wife have different names, we usually put the women's
name first.
When putting these cards on a table, we always put them in alphabetical
order.
Place
Card: The place card is on the table at the place assigned to
the guest. There is a choice in where you seat your guest at the
table. Some of the choices are: 1. Husbands and wives (or couples
that come together) are seated at the same table, but not next to
one another. In this case guests should alternate, male and female.
The person seated to the right of another is considered in the position
of honor. 2. Couples that come together are seated next to one another.
3. Couples that come together are seated at different tables.
At a round table, the best seat is facing the honored guest.
The place card itself can vary from the most formal, an ecru or
white card with a, gold or silver bevel edge laid on a formal folded
napkin to a theme related item, such as a Mardi Gras mask. The only
requirement is that the name be on it somewhere.
What
you write on the place card: In the formal approach, the name
is written: Mr. Jones, if there are two Mr. Jones at the table than
the first name is used, i.e. Mr. Mark Jones. In an informal approach
you can use either Mark Jones or Mark. The last name would be required
if there are more than one of that name at the table. The important
issue is to be consistent.
Personalized
Menu Card: A personalized menu card is an alternative to a place
card. These should be considered when giving your guests a choice
of entree. The regular menu would have each guest's name printed
at the top and set at each place. If the menu card is not personalized,
you may chose to only use 3 or 4 menus at the table or one at each
place.
Name
Cards: This refers to a card you might give out to a friend.
It does not refer to anything that relates to a table setting.
Author's
Information:
Tracy Bloom Schwartz, CSEP 301-654-9292
Creative Parties, Ltd. tracybloom@cparties.com
8011 Woodmont Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
www.cparties.com
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