When movies or television shows portray a bride planning her wedding, they often show her trying to map out her seating chart for the reception. Once the seating chart is done, there are two ways to show your guests where to sit — place cards and escort cards.

These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they are actually two different things.

Place cards are placed at the table to indicate where a guest is supposed to sit. They can usually be found at the top of the plate at the 12 o’clock position. They are usually no bigger than a business card.

There are a few different ways to display place cards. Some are printed and folded to stand up, while others are simple cards held up by some sort of place card holder.

Place card holders come in all shapes and sizes and can be found online or at a craft or decor store. For the crafty bride, there are ideas for Do it yourself place cards and holders.

Escort cards, on the other hand, are usually placed near the entrance of the reception and have not only the guest’s name on them, but also the number for the table to which they’ve been assigned. These, too, can be either formal or fun and crafty.

Some of the pros to assigned seating and using either place or escort cards include being able to tie them in with the theme of the wedding, giving the guests something they can take home with them and adding a personal touch to the wedding.

They help avoid conflicts when it comes to guests who don’t get along with each other. It also helps reduce the chaos of people trying to choose the best spot at the reception.

The use of place or escort cards can have its cons as well. They can be time consuming to make and set up and guests may have difficulty finding their names.

Some fun ideas for place or escort cards include:

• Small potted plants

• Bookmarks

• Birdhouses

• Buttons

• Wine corks

• Rocks

• Tiles or coasters

• Luggage tags

• Ornaments

• Origami

Formality should be used when putting the names on the cards. Always make sure the names are spelled correctly and check with the guest if you’re not sure. Also make sure to use the correct prefix for a person.

For guests who are bringing a date, but haven’t disclosed the name, write “John Doe and Guest” and place the card between their seats.