Escort cards vs. Place card

Same thing? Some brides tend to think they are an insignificant detail; but from a design standpoint, I beg to differ. An elegant table placed in the entrance to your reception will be the first glimpse of what other good things are waiting for your wedding guests.

At the Outdoor Country Club in York we placed a beautiful linen on a round table under the brass chandelier with a huge arrangement of white Hydrangea, green Tea Roses and Stock in a fruit-filled vase for this all green & white wedding.

The 'Escort cards' were leaf -shapes attached to pear candles which then added decor to the guest tables as well as take- home gifts from the couple.

This Asian/American wedding reception at Liberty Place had their 'Escort card' table in the outer Reception Room. The centerpiece was a tall vase of Jumbo Equisetum and Papyrus. Surrounding were scores of little 'good- luck' elephants holding names and seating numbers. These also were gifts to the guests from the couple. So classy.

A fall wedding at the Eden Resort's Grand Ballroom. The credenza in the hallway was used to welcome guests with beautifully calligraphed card with colored leaves. We placed them on fresh green moss, with gilded jack- be- little pumpkins and acorns. The large urn was filled with Hydrangeas, Cockscomb, Tall Ornamental Grasses, Curly Willow branches and fuzzy Cattails.

A fall wedding and reception held at Stumptown Mennonite Church used browns, greens, terracotta and oranges with pears as the decorating element. The bride placed their picture in a wire shaped leaf on the pears for the table decor and favors. The Escort card table was the teeny-tiniest table I've ever had to try to fit cards on, but we did it! I just happened to have a pear candelabra that my best friend had given me for Christmas one year that I couldn't resist using for the center. It was the perfect piece for her decor.

Why not consider a beautiful blown vase that serves as a card holder, table decoration, and a favor? All you need is a beautiful candle for a centerpiece. For a dramatic entrance line these up with a centerpiece of the same flowers on a round table, and you have a huge Wow factor.

Some other ideas: single serving sizes of sparkling cider, or champagne. ( Raspberry Sparkeltini-yum!) Make hanging cards for the bottles, line them up and there again...it's an

Escort Card, table decoration and favor all in one! What about saving your wine corks and inserting your cards into a slit, for a wine- themed reception.

One Groom folded dozens of Origami cranes for their guest's names. Very impressive!

-For a beach-theme wedding- add a pearl to a seashell and write names inside with a Sharpie.

-For an outdoor reception use a Sharpie to write names on large sand pebbles. Those won't blow away on a windy day!

My definition of Escort Cards is when a Place Card gets to be displayed in an exceptional way!

There are hundreds of useful name card/favor ideas, so be creative and use them to make a beautiful entrance to your marriage celebration.

Next blog: (hopefully soon!) my little grandson's first pictures. He's expected to make his entrance very, very soon!!

And remember: Marriage is meant to be for life!