Place Cards, Menu Cards
Place cards and menu cards are two optional items you could choose to include in your wedding stationery package. Place cards can serve as markers to help guests identify their seat at the reception. This can prevent confusion and can make things easier on your guests. Menu cards can be placed on each table as both a decorative element and as information for guests who need to know what's going to be served.
Let's look at some guidelines for purchasing and designing each of these items.
Place Cards
Place cards come in a wide variety of designs. You can choose from tents, cards, even ceramic place cards – the choice is yours. Of course, you'll want to choose a design that is going to complement the rest of your reception decorations and the tone of the party. Whimsical place cards may be a cute touch at an informal reception but won't work at a formal gathering.
If you choose card-shaped place cards, then you'll also want to purchase some elegant place card holders to match them. Again, you want something that will make a good match.
You should purchase your place cards as soon as possible, but you may want to wait until after you begin getting your response cards returned. If you need to have names printed on the place cards, you'll definitely have to wait, and you may want to figure that into your response card deadlines.
If you don't want to pay the extra money to have names printed on the cards, you can write the names by hand or hire a calligrapher to handle the job for you.
Menu Cards
Generally, your menu cards can be ordered at the same time as your invitations, although you may want to wait until you receive more of your response cards so you'll know specifically how many tables are going to be needed for your reception.
Generally, menu cards are fairly simplistic. They should include your married name, the date of the reception, and a list of what is being served. Below is an example of what your menu cards might include:
In Celebration Of
Joshua & Angel
Hughes
January 19, 2007
Menu
Appetizer
Tossed Mixed Greens Salad
with Oil & Vinegar Dressing
Entree
Center Cut Filet Mignon
or
Chicken Cordon Bleu
served with
Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
Baby Carrots in Dill Sauce
Hot Roll
Dessert
Triple Chocolate Mousse
with Fresh Strawberries and Lady Fingers
You should choose a font for your menu card which reflects the feel of your reception. Most menu cards can be purchased as cards or as tents. As with the place cards, if you choose the card design then you'll need to purchase matching holders as well.
Other Similar Table Stationery
Besides place and menu cards, you may also choose to have cards printed which number the table. This is particularly important if you have a seating chart elsewhere. Without clear table numbering, your guests may be at a loss when it comes to determining where to sit.
Speaking of seating charts, if you do choose to have one visible at the reception to help guests find their seats (this is particularly important for large receptions) then you'll probably want to have one professionally printed for you. Obviously, you'll need to wait until your response cards come back to do this. That means you need to give yourself plenty of time to make the chart and to submit the information to a printer.
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