Creative Ways To Name Your Tables

Creative Ways To Name Your Tables

By Daria MacGregor • Circle of Love Weddings

This article is the third in a series of ideas about seating plans for your reception.

Once guests have found their table cards during the cocktail hour, how will they locate their tables in the ballroom? Once again, this is an excellent opportunity to showcase your creativity and event theme, both with the way you name or number the tables, and how the table identifiers are displayed on the tables.

Identifying The Tables
Everyone has seen the traditional table numbers. It is perfectly fine to use these, especially if your wedding is quite formal. There are lovely preprinted, numbered cards available for purchase at stationers’ shops or online, or you can make your own. However, why not incorporate a theme for your tables that reflects your interests and/or history as a couple? Here are a few ideas I have seen:

• Flower names that can also then be incorporated in the centerpieces

• Names of the streets in the neighborhoods in which you grew up

• Cartoon, Superheroes, Star Trek or other famous names

• Names of different places that both of you have traveled

• Names of players from your favorite sports teams

Discussing your theme can be a fun icebreaker for guests as they find their seats.

Displaying The Table Names
There are several options for displaying the table names. I like tall metal stands with a clip on the top, as they add height to the table and are simple enough that they will not detract from the centerpieces. Low stands or small frames also work well, and there is certainly an abundance of choices, in any style you can think of. You can even just fold table name cards into tent cards and place them directly on the tables, as long as there are not too many other things such as favors, cameras, place settings, large centerpieces, etc.

No matter which option you choose, it is crucial that guests be able to easily see the table names as they enter the ballroom, so make the name cards as large as possible. Be sure that the person who places them on the tables sets the cards facing the main entrance. It can also be a helpful touch to station a greeter or two near the doors, with a map of the room to assist guests in locating their tables.

November 2007 - Reception Seating Plans: A Do or a Don’t?
December 2007 - Creative Ideas for Table Cards