Welcome back for Part 3 of our series with Jessica Smith of JesSmith Designs of getting into the down and dirty of wedding invitation style, traditions and etiquette (when you should follow them and when to balk at them).  Today we're talking about wedding Place Cards and Signage.

Part 3 of 5:

Place Cards and Signage

Making sure your guests are fully informed, moving from one place to the next without issue and being comfortable at the reception can be done easily with the right signage and place cards throughout your big day. 

Do your couples have the ability to build a custom sign or is everything pre-designed? I offer both! I have a collection of pre-made boards that they can choose from or they can provide details of how they'd like it to be customized.  The customization includes construction of the custom sized board as well as the surface artwork. 

Do you have any tips for couples interested in having custom designed signage? Make sure to have an idea of what you're envisioning ahead of time and give the artist plenty of time to complete the project before the big day.  

Why do you love custom designed signage? Signage isn't just great for the big day.  It's also a great keepsake for after the wedding for couples.  Many couples that I've worked with will display their wedding day signage on a gallery wall in their home with their wedding day photos.  

What kind of signage can couples utilize for ceremonies to help their guests?  An old tradition, which mostly applied to ceremonies that took place in a church, guests would sit separate between the "grooms' side" and "brides' side".  Presently, more ceremonies are taking place outside of a formal church ceremony, so that tradition is no longer important to a lot of couples.  One option could be the sweet saying of "Choose a seat, not a side.  We're all family once the knot is tied." 

Do couples really need a formal seating chart for the reception?    A formal seating chart is not an absolute requirement, but it can make it hard on your guests if you forego having one.  For example, if a group wants to sit together at the reception, but are one of the lasts to arrive, there may not be enough room for all of them to sit together.  It can make for an awkward situation if some guests have to sit with a table of people that they don't know.  A way to avoid that, could be to have extra tables to accommodate large groups and families sitting together, but that leads to additional costs for chairs, linens, centerpieces, etc, if your space even allows for additional seating. 

What is your favorite part of couples including seating charts?  Having a formal seating chart is such a fun way to keep your theme running throughout your day.  It also is an opportunity for you to provide your guests with their seat as well as their wedding favor.  

Is there a difference between Escort Cards and Place Cards?  An escort card is more of an informal way to simply tell your guest which table to sit at.  A place card is used at more formal receptions with plated dinners that will include the the guests' meal choices.