Day-of
The Printing & Place-Cards Guide Nobody Gives You
The best seating chart in the world fails if the print assets are wrong. Here's every piece you need and the format that actually works.
Escort cards vs. place cards vs. escort display
Escort cards tell guests which table (used at cocktail hour, one per guest or couple). Place cards mark the exact seat (waiting on the table when guests arrive). An escort display is a single large board or wall showing everyone's assignment. You need one of the first, and place cards if you assigned seats within tables.
Format that guests actually understand
Escort assignments should be alphabetical by last name, not by table. Guests look up their own name first, then find the table. Sorting by table forces them to scan hundreds of names — the #1 cocktail-hour bottleneck.
Print the caterer's sheet separately
Your caterer needs a per-table breakdown: table number, guest count, meal choices with counts (e.g., 4 chicken, 3 fish, 1 vegan, 2 kids). This is not the same document as your seating chart. Print it landscape, one page per every 4–5 tables, and hand it over the day before.
Table numbers guests can see
Table numbers need to be readable from the entrance of the room — think 6 inches tall minimum, on a stand tall enough to clear centerpieces. This is not the place for a delicate calligraphy card.
Print two of everything
Two copies of the master chart (planner + venue), two copies of the caterer sheet, two copies of the escort list. Someone will lose one. Bring markers so day-of swaps can be written on the spot.
What to print vs. what to display digitally
Print anything the venue or catering staff needs to hold in their hands. Display digitally (a tablet at the entrance, a QR code) only for guest-facing lookups at very large events. For under 200 guests, paper still wins.