A seating chart or escort cards are absolutely essential for helping your guests smoothly find their seats at your wedding reception. And while they serve a practical and necessary purpose, the seating chart and escort cards can also create a beautiful display that helps to set the mood for the rest of the party. There are so many amazing ideas for creative seating charts and escort cards that will delight your guests, and save you cash because you can create them yourself!
We’ve chosen a few of our favorite DIY wedding seating charts and escort cards to help inspire you to make your own custom creations that will perfectly suit you and your spouse’s personalities, as well as the overall theme of your wedding. Check out some of our favorite ideas below:
Sweet, Little Succulents
This fun idea is so simple to create, and will leave your guests with an adorable favor to bring home with them that will help their memories of your wedding live on for months or even years to come! All you need to do is add an escort card on a stick to tiny, potted succulents and you have a seating chart that looks great and leaves your guests with a gift.
Photo: Create & Cultivate
Vintage Record Collection
If you and your spouse-to-be are big music fans, then this custom seating chart idea might be perfect for your wedding! Label each table with one of your favorite records and display the record sleeves on your seating chart for an arrangement that your guests will have a lot of fun looking at while finding their tables!
Photo: JBM Photography
Adventurous Map
Maps are such an incredible piece of decor because they can fit so many themes, like adventurous and whimsical, rustic, vintage-inspired, and even nature-y. Create a super unique and engaging seating chart by labeling your tables as locations, and adding the names of your guests to a map!
Photo: Krista Turner Photography. Event Planner: Affairs of Elegance.
Rustic, Natural Wood
There is something so charming about a rugged, natural-looking piece of wood that will add to the rustic vibe of your wedding reception. You can create this look yourself by inscribing the tables and names of your guests onto a natural piece of wood. This seating chart would look amazing at an outdoor, summer wedding!
Photo: Landon Jacob Photography
Precious, Potted Plants
Lush, green foliage can be the perfect accent to an outdoor, garden wedding. Create a unique seating chart/escort card display by adding table numbers to potted plants, then adding the name of your guests to sticks in the pot. Not only does this idea look great, it would be so cheap and easy to create!
Photo: Laura Murray Photography. Event Planner: Calluna Events. Florist: Flora & Folly.
Modern & Minimalist Display
Create a refreshing, modern look by combining a column of greenery with clear, plastic sheets that display your table information. It would work well in an indoor or outdoor setting and would match a range of wedding themes. The best part about this striking arrangement, is that you can easily create it yourself and you’re guests will love it!
Photo: MLE Pictures. Event Planners: House of Catherine. Design: Sara Rea Designs. Florist: Fresh Designs Florist.
Artistic String Display
Create a fun, little game with your seating chart by listing your guests’ names and matching them to their table with colorful lengths of string. Not only will it be an interactive moment for your guests, it also creates a colorful display that almost looks like a work of art!
Photo: Moat Hill Photography
Pretty, Gilded Frames
Gilded, gold picture frames can create a luxurious and eye-catching seating chart that is not only easy and affordable to create, but would also look great at a high class affair. All you need to emulate this look is an arrangement of picture frames, a wooden board, and some beautiful florals, and you’ll have a display that will wow your guests!
Photo: onelove Photography
Dried Bouquet Favors
Bouquets of dry flowers are perfect for a wedding reception with vintage-inspired, rustic vibes. Add your escort cards to these beautiful bouquets so your guests can easily find their seats and have a pretty favor to keep that will remind them of your wedding! You can either hire a florist to create these bouquets, or have some fun and make them yourself!
Photo: Pam Cooley. Florist: Flora Design Studio.
Terrific Tea Party
We love the idea of tea cup escort cards- it’s so whimsical, and your guests will be able to use their gift for years to come! All you need to create this idea is some cute, little teacups and tea bags labelled with your guests’ names and table numbers! The display board is entirely optional, but definitely recommended!
Photo: StyleMePretty.com
Bright Boutonnieres
Dress up your wedding guests by providing them with a vibrant, floral boutonniere to wear throughout the wedding reception! Your guests will love them, and they’ll look great in your photos- perfect for a spring celebration! You can even get crafty and make them yourself for an extra special touch!
Photo: Jodie and Kurt Photography
Lovely Ladders
Sometimes a simple display can make a big impact- like this one that strings up your escort cards between two adorable ladders adorned with some pretty foliage. You can set up this display yourself for a minimalist, or rustic look that will be the perfect welcome to your wedding reception!
Photo: Suzuran Photography. Event Planning: A Charming Fete. Rentals: Molly Taylor & Co, Borrow Vintage and Eclectic Rentals.
