How does everyone handle table/seating cards?

We did escort cards that looked similar to this (this is not a photo from my wedding):

It was fairly cheap to buy everything (we found everything on Amazon), and we printed the names and table numbers onto clear stickers, which we then put on to the cards. I recommend individual cards instead of a board, so that people can put their escort card at a place setting to "claim" a specific seat at their assigned table.

We did escort cards that assigned guests to tables. Personally, I don't care for the boards much. They are more difficult if you need to deal with inevitable last minute changes, it can be harder to find your name, people crowd around, forget their table number etc. Plus IMO escort cards are more elegant/formal looking if that's your vibe. They can range from very budget conscious to pricey depending on what kind of card stock you use, whether you DIY, print, or hire a calligrapher.

I think it depends on how many guests/tables you have. We had a small, intimate reception, so we just put everyone's name cards on the table at their respective place setting. If you are having a larger reception, I would suggest doing an escort card table (where they are arranged alphabetically, so guests can easily find their names). It's the easiest and most cost effective way of doing it. And it also allows for last minute changes. The large seating boards can cause congestion (everyone crowding around it trying to find their name/seat), and don't allow for last minute changes (since it will all have to be submitted weeks in advance in order to receive it on time).

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Those are so cute! How did you print the names on the cards? I think that's the issue I'm trying to figure out because all I have is my printer at work and it's one of those monstrosities with copying/scanning/etc

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That definitely makes sense. I just don't trust my handwriting so I'm trying to figure out how to go about printing them - not sure if I can figure it out on my work printer, but maybe I could have them printed at staples?

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It was actually pretty easy! We bought clear address labels and printed everyone's names and assigned table number on those, and then put those on the cards. If you search Google for "address label templates", you'll find free templates that you can use. Just make sure you find the template that matches the labels you buy. From there, just type the names/table numbers into the template, print, and then put each label on an escort card.

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Staples can definitely do it (or basically any printing service). There are a lot of calligraphers on etsy that will hand write them for you too.

We got the escort cards from Amazon - they were color coded according to the guest meal choice. We didn't use table numbers, choosing sea animals instead. I got those custom stickers on Etsy. The cards were then supposed to be in alphabetical order, but our DOC grouped them by table. Ugh. (Really the only hitch in the while wedding, but still) Anyway, I wanted the escort cards because I personally despise a seating chart.

View Quoted Comment Very cute idea