To Have and To Hold: Placecard Holders For Your Wedding

One person’s must have is another person’s waste. Many brides will get excited over confetti and streamers, but will ignore things like place card holders. What they may not realize, however, is that having place cards lends a sense of elegance to your wedding. Place card holders not only hold the aforementioned cards, but are the perfect, personalized touch that will set your wedding apart from anyone else’s. Here’s how to find the perfect placecard holders for your reception.

First of all, consider the theme. Are you thinking about nature? Maybe tree shaped placeholders are a good choice. How about summer? A pair of sunglasses, with the card resting against the lenses, would work well. Holidays also lend themselves to themed placecards; the Fourth of July might call for sparklers (unlit, of course), while New Year’s Eve could have hats or noisemakers.

Remember that place cards give guests a built in icebreaker. (“Your first name is Allison? So is my daughter!”). Make sure that the placecard holders aren’t hidden by anything; they should be big enough to be visible, but not so large that they take up unncecessary space. It’s all right to think outside of the box for place card holders, as long as you abide by the previous rule. And the more creative they are, the more the guests will want to look at them.

Also, bear in mind that place card holders don’t have to be expensive. Sunglasses, as mentioned previously, can be as low as $1 in some stores. Sparklers and noisemakers don’t need to cost a lot, especially if you’re alert enough to catch them after a holiday. A few creative and inexpensive ideas can make a difference between a unique and stylish table and a cheap setting that no one appreciates.

You may also want to make sure that your place cards match the holders. The elegant script of an average card may not look quite right with, say, a bottle of sunscreen. If your theme is a casual one, such as a summertime setting, you can easily select a font that will be suitable. A nice block script would work well with the above example, as would a flaming font (to represent the hot sun, of course). You can also decorate the background of the card itself. In this case, there are many examples that would work-a small sun, a beach umbrella, or a pail and shovel. You can also personalize the cards with the pictures and holders. Parents of the bride and groom could get small straw hats as placecard holders and their cards could have small suns. The wedding party could get sunscreen bottles with cards that have beach umbrellas, and so on.

Let’s not forget the practical nature of place card holders. They are, of course, meant to hold place cards. However, they can often do double duty by holding a place card as well as a small treat. For instance, there are some holders that have just enough space to hold a chocolate kiss or a few candies. You can also use favors as holders, such as cookie cutters and pizza wheels. Whatever you choose, the more practical or pleasing the holder, the more likely your guest is to keep it.

Place card holders don’t have to be overly expensive, look identical, or even be the same for each guest. The spirit of your wedding will shine through by your creativity and planning with each holder. Done correctly, your place card holders can add a wonderful touch to your ceremony.