It only takes a quick scroll though the “Wedding” section of Pinterest to see there are hundreds of ideas to make your day unique. Today we are going to be discussing three of those things that are important to have on the day of your wedding.

 

The first are Escort Cards and Place Cards.

 

To start we need to define the difference in these two because they are often confused. Escort Cards are near the entrance of your reception and tell your guests what table they will be sitting at. Place cards sit on the table itself and tell guests which chair to sit in and can also double as a way for the caterer to know which meal the guest ordered. There are some cases where it is not always necessary to have both, but in most cases you will want them.

 

Let’s start with the Escort cards. You will want the cards to match the colors and themes of your day and in many cases you can attach them to the guests favors. There are lots of creative ways to accomplish this but here is just a few:

 

Go Green: Give your guests a small plant or a packet of seeds attached to their cards.

 

Photo Credit: Engaged & Inspired 

 

Have the guests replace their name with a polaroid of themselves so you create an on the spot picture guest book.

Photo Credit: Michelle Lange

 

Attach the card to a cold beverage or use a cup that has their name on it so they can keep track of it all night.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Beasley; 

 

 Photo Credit: L Hewitt Photography

 

Or you can even exclude the card all together and write guests names on a big board to point them in the right direction.

 

There are hundreds of other ideas that can go with your theme from paper airplanes to a bunch of lavender – what ever you do the more unique and fun the better!

Photo Credit: Flory Photo

 

Then for your place cards you can get something that coordinates with your Escort cards. Most of the time it is folded at the top of the plate or set directly on it. You can change the color of the font to indicate a meal choice, or just list it on there. If however you have a buffet this is not necessary and if it does not matter who sits next to who at the table then you can also eliminate the place cards all together. I do love this idea of placing them on a little easel!

Project Styling and Photos By: Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day

 

Found on Etsy: companyfortytwo

 

The next thing that is important for you to have on your wedding day is a program.

 

This is something handed out at the ceremony and normally matches or coordinates with your invitations. It serves a couple of purposes.

 

1. It lets your guests know who is in the wedding party.

 

2. It lets them know the order of the ceremony and what is going to happen when.

 

3. It can include a thank you message from you to your guests for coming (alternately this can be on the table with your place cards).

 

4. It includes instructions and/or directions to the reception.

 

Of course there is plenty of opportunity to get creative with these as well. Some people tell a story with theirs, some make it funny and have something to pass the time as guests wait for the ceremony to start. Here are a few ideas I’ve seen I particularly like:

 

Photo Credit: Bartlett Pair Photography

 

Found on Etsy: xSimplyModernDesignx

 

Found on Etsy: MaKenzieNoelle

 

The last item to have on your wedding day is a guest book of some sort.

 

I mentioned above the polaroid guest book idea to go with the Escort Cards but a few others include:

 

– A tree where guests can stamp their thumb prints as “leaves” and sign their name.

Found on Etsy: bleudetoi

 

– You can have guest sign Jenga blocks to create a memorable game.

Found on Etsy: thepaperynook

 

– Sign 5 different bottles of wine that you save to drink on your 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th anniversary.

Found on Etsy: EVCreations

 

– Sign a matte that surrounds a photo of you two (maybe from your engagement session).

 

– Create a picture book that has room for guests to sign as well so they can see images of you as a couple throughout your relationship.

Found on Style Me Pretty, made by Shutterfly

 

– You can have them sign records, wine corks, or just your traditional book but remember this is a way for you to have a keepsake of everyone who attended your wedding in one place. So make sure it’s something you love and that fits within your wedding day.

 

Still need help? Then contact a designer to help with the decision making process and let them create something unique for you. They are professionals and will be able to help your vision become a reality.