DIY: Escort Cards

So if you guys haven't realized yet, I'm doing things waaaay early.  I mean I still have 9 months to go and I just did my escort cards?!

(p.s. Apparently there is a difference between an escort card and a place card.  Guests will pick up an escort card when first coming in and it will direct them to which table they are seated at.  Once arriving at the table indicated by the escort card, a placecard will indicate which seat they are supposed to be seated at.)

And since I could care less who sits by who (I'm sure they are more than capable of figuring that out on their own) I'm going with the escort card.

Now before you start thinking I'm crazy, and how could I possibly know who is coming when I haven't even sent out my Save the Dates yet, let alone my invitations and gotten RSVPs back, I only did some of them!  And by some, I mean about 60.  Which, in the grand scheme of 300 potential guests, isn't much.  I did some of my close family and friends that I know will be there without a doubt.

This was my "trial run" of sorts, so I could figure out how they would work and how much paper I would need, etc.  And even though they were technically a trial, I will be using them because they turned out fantastic!

1.)  I started by cutting my green cardstock to 4"x5".  I scored a line at 2.5" and folded it in half to make a tent.  The front of the card measures 4"x2.5".

2.)  I made a template with Microsoft Digital Image Suite so I had a 4"x2.5" square and I added in the name.  I was able to fit 10 names per 8.5x11" piece of white cardstock.

As you can see each name has the first letter of the last name in the background.

3.)  I cut these out with my paper cutter and attached them to the center of the tent.

All 60 lined up.

They don't currently have table numbers on them, because well, we're 9 months out!!  And I figured it would be easier this way so I can do the table assignments at the end.  I'm going to print out another square, or possible on a label, the table number as well as information about my surprise favor (I know I keep bringing it up, but I will tell you about it soon, I promise) and place it on the inside of the tent.

So there you have it.  Quick and easy.  I'd say it took about an hour and a half to design, print, cut, and attach all 60 of these.

Price Breakdown as follows:
6 tents out of each $0.33 piece of green cardstock

10 names out of each $.05 piece of white cardstock
300 escort cards = $18.00