You’ve Got A Place At The Table

Everyone likes to feel wanted.  That is why Jackie and I feel so strongly about using place cards when we invite anyone to a gathering where we will be sitting down to a meal.  They tell the person whose name is on the card “we’re glad you are here and we planned on you coming.”  Besides that, place cards can be just plain fun to design and make!
We have used all kinds of place cards in all kinds of ways.  There is truly no limit to how you can show someone where you have planned for them to sit.

The photo above was from a surprise birthday luncheon for my daughter Sara. Her birthday happened to be right at Mother’s Day so we had a mother/daughter brunch in honor of her.  Each person had a favor of “girlie” trinkets wrapped in pink tissue and a cellophane bag and tied with bright yellow ribbon and a name card.  There was one placed on each plate so everyone would know where they were to sit.

If you are having a formal dinner it is often nice to put couples across the table from each other, with people you think they would find interesting on either side of them.  This can make the conversation very fun and lively.  But know your guests.  If someone is particularly shy or just strongly prefers to sit right next to his or her spouse or partner, don’t make an issue out of separating them.  The whole point is to make people feel comfortable and welcomed when you invite them to a dinner or event.

Here are just few of the ways we’ve used or displayed place cards at various parties we’ve had.

If you have used a motif of some kind or a design on the invitation to your party, you can always use it again on the place cards. This was a shower for a friend having a little boy and the rocking horse was used at the top of the invitation as well as here on the place cards.

At a shower for a friend having a little girl, we bought pretty hankies and folded them to look like a diaper, then we used a small brass safety pin to close them.  The place card was then inserted with the name of each guest at her place at the table. The diaper hankies served, not only to hold to the place card, but also as the party favor for each guest.

When Jackie and two of my daughters had a bridal shower tea party for my other daughter, each person was given a tea infuser as a party favor. They tied them with pretty ribbon and a card that read “Love is brewing” and then below each card was printed with each guest’s name.  They knew where their seats were and had a fun reminder of a lovely afternoon spent together.

Our very clever friend, Dana, used fans with each guests name on them to let people know where they were to sit.  They added a fun touch to her already beautiful tables!

Using colors of the season and decorative stamps you can create a pretty place card.  Be sure you choose the paper and ink colors to go with those of your linens or flowers so that everything looks planned and  coordinated.

Simple classic cards folded over so that they can stand on their own, look pretty and elegant when the names are written in nice handwriting, or printed on your computer on card stock that coordinates with the rest of the table design.

At this wedding of some sweet friends, Jon and Ashley, which was held at a winery in Los Olivos, California, the wine theme was carried out even with the place cards.  Each guest’s name was beautifully written on a card that was then placed in a wine cork with a slit across the top to hold the card.  It was quite lovely.

If you happen to have clear glass plates, writing your guests name on a doily that is placed under the plate is a pretty and simple way to tell someone where you would like them to sit.  (If you don’t have glass plates but like this idea, the plates are almost always available at the 99 cent store or at Walmart.)

No matter how simple or elaborate you choose to get with the place cards you create, the most important thing is that you are telling each guest who comes to your party that he or she was truly wanted and you planned for them to be a part of your good time.  After all, we want people to feel more loved, have more joy and to experience more abundant living.  Seeing one’s name written down on a place card is a simple thing but it will surely communicate to any guest or family member “You’ve Got A Place At The Table!”