Ditch the White Card Stock: How to do your escort cards differently

Escort cards are a standard at any wedding. Their main purpose is to tell your guests where they should sit and enjoy their dinner. But they’re often an afterthought. Brides (and some grooms) pour over the details of the centerpieces, menu, flowers and possibly even the color of the napkins, while the element of the reception that every guest is guaranteed to interact with is usually overlooked.  

Maybe that’s because most escort cards can be boring? Not to say elegant calligraphy isn’t beautiful, but it’s understandably hard to get excited about picking out the right shade of ivory card stock for your guests’ names to be printed on. It’s doesn’t really set brides’ hearts aflutter.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Escort cards are a huge untapped resource! They are usually the first thing your guests will encounter as they move from cocktail hour to the reception. It’s their first impression of the dinner and dancing portion of the evening (you know, the part that you’ve probably spent the bulk of your wedding budget on.) So let’s make that first impression a "wow!"

Here are 10 unique ways you can make your wedding escort cards memorable:

Another great option is to let your escort cards double as your guests’ favors. It opens up so many options beyond simply writing on a card. You can guide your guests to their seats with wine stoppers, a sweet treat or a mini bottle of booze, luggage tags, a deck of cards, flower seeds or a small succulent – the list could go on and on. Plus, this way you can combine your escort card and favor budgets. By joining forces, you may be able to give your guests something more memorable to take home.

This is a major trend right now. Instead of giving your guests something to carry around, create a beautiful display of their names and table assignments. A beautifully decorated board that fits the vibe of your wedding, whether that’s a mirror with gold calligraphy or an old barn window decorated with wildflowers, will set just the right tone for your guests as they enter the reception.

Signature cocktails are a mainstay at weddings nowadays. But incorporating your escort cards with your signature drink is a unique twist. You can either customize the glassware itself or add a drink stirrer or tag with each guest's information printed on it. Either way, you’ve ensured guests are guided to their seat in style and they're ready to raise a glass when the toasts begin. Cheers!

If you don’t have to stray too far from the traditional to still make it interesting. There are a plenty of different ways to make your escort cards pop by using a unique format, format or a shape. Plus, who says you have to use a card at all? Writing on rocks or marble is another fun new trend. 

 I also love the idea of using pictures to denote meal choice instead of writing out the words (like the example above). So cute!

As a flower-lover, I’m obsessed with this look! It adds such an unexpected pop of color and beauty to your event. This is perfect if your venue could use more of a divider between the cocktail hour space and reception area. Bringing in even just two shelves and filling them with bud vases will give guests a visible separation of the two spaces. Plus, if you only use bud vases, the floral costs will comparable to the typical flower arrangement placed at the center of an escort card table.

As you can see, escort cards don’t have to be boring! By adding some personality to this part of your day, you can turn this small detail into a big wow!

Check out more unique escort card ideas on our Pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.com/yourthemecometrue/unique-escort-card-ideas