Collection: Place Cards

Printable Place Cards & Escort Cards

Place cards are the smallest piece of stationery at an event and the one that does the most work. They let you seat people deliberately, which at a wedding or a family Christmas is worth more than any decoration on the table.

All editable in Canva, printed many to a sheet.

Place cards versus escort cards

They are different things and mixing them up creates a queue at the door. An escort card tells a guest which table they are on and sits on a table near the entrance, usually alphabetically. A place card tells them which seat is theirs and sits on the plate. Large events often use both.

Formats

• Tented place cards — fold in half, stand on the plate
• Flat place cards — lie on the plate or tuck into a napkin
• Escort cards — name plus table number
• Place cards with meal indicators — a small symbol telling servers who ordered what
• Place card and menu combined — the guest's name at the top of their menu

Place card questions

What size should place cards be?

3.5x2 inches flat, or 3.5x4 folded down to 3.5x2 for a tented card.

First names or full names?

Full names on escort cards, since guests scan for a surname. First names are fine on place cards once people are already at the table.

What paper should I use?

250 to 300 gsm minimum for tented cards. Anything lighter will not stand up against a glass.

How do I get a clean fold?

Score the line first with the back of a butter knife against a ruler, then fold. Cardstock cracks if you fold it cold.

Do caterers need meal indicators?

If you are serving a plated choice, yes, and they will ask. A small icon in the corner is far more reliable than a list handed to the head server.

When should I print them?

Three to five days before, once final numbers are confirmed. Being able to reprint one card the night before is the whole advantage of a template.