Articles: place cards

Place cards are associated with weddings, yet they work anywhere someone is meant to sit in a particular spot: a company dinner, a training day, a conference or a tasting table in a restaurant.

A set that works together

• A seating plan by the entrance, showing where to look for your table.
• Table numbers or names, readable from a few steps away.
• Place cards at each setting, clear without leaning over the table.
• A menu card in the same style, so the table looks like one idea.

It is worth ordering these together, because a shared look is then easier to keep and the seating plan will not end up looking different from the cards on the tables. For larger events, an alphabetical list also saves time on the day.

What to watch

Write names in the form a guest actually uses - it is a small thing that gets noticed. Leave room for changes too: a few blank cards let you add someone at the last moment. If the cards are meant to stand, check that the board is stiff enough, and around candles and glasses smaller formats work better because they do not block the setting.

Beyond weddings

In a restaurant, place cards keep group bookings and private events in order. Naming a table instead of numbering it makes service easier and looks better in photographs. If you are planning an event, start with the seating plan and fit everything else around it.