You'll Sit Where I Tell You to Sit

After the cocktail hour, the hotel staff nudged and herded our guests to the reception room.  To inform guests where they were going to sit, I loved the idea of edible escort favors.  It would not only let guests know at which table they were sitting, but also, who doesn't enjoy a little something tasty?

My original idea was to make some shortbread cookies, plop 'em in a cello bag, tie it with a tag and be done with it.  My sister, who was my much more ambitious right hand during the wedding planning, wanted to do something more complicated, like these:

 

Source 

Despite my protests, she was determined to make them, and make them she did.

Personal photo

Is she not amazing? I mean, like, amazing? Not only did she make the cookies and the icing, she handmade all those little violets on top. She *made* them. Plus, she made two flavors of cookies--lime and lavender--and colored the icing accordingly.  See aforementioned "is she not amazing" question, please.

We placed each cookie cake stack in a cellophane bag, folded down the tops of the bags, and stapled them (they were too short to just tie with a ribbon).  We looped two tags--one tag with the guest's name, the other with the table number--through a gold ribbon, and hot glued the ribbon bow to each bag. 

Photo by CK Hwang/39 East Photography

The tag with the person's name was hanging on the other side, but you don't get to see my chicken scratch.

Like Hansel and Gretel (minus the children-eating witch part), our guests used their escort card cookie treats to find their dinner tables.  And how did we label the tables?

Back in the old days, I had considered many of the great options out there for table numbers.  We liked the idea of naming the tables after places or things important to us, but also wanted guests to easily find their tables (i.e. looking for number digits is easier than reading words).  In the end, we labeled tables with both a name and number.

For the names, we used bakeries that have meaning for us.  There was little question about this.  Kevin and I had our first date at a bakery, we make trips to our neighborhood bakeries at least three times a week, and we both have a crazy sweet tooth.

Do you see me? I'm like get off of me, I am eating something containing sugar. 

After I created the design and text, my sister inkjet printed the table numbers and names on 5.75" square ivory linen cardstock.

Personal photo

Yeah, no pics, no embellishments, no cut-outs, nothing.  I was at a point where I did not have energy to think of something fabulous (not that that would be my only excuse).  However, to save myself from total boredom, I wrote short descriptions for the back of each card describing the significance of the bakery. 

For example:

Table 1: Hungarian Pastry Shoppe

For their first date back in July 2006, Kevin suggested Hungarian Pastry Shoppe, a standby of the Morningside Heights neighborhood that offers an array of baked goods.  That was a sure way to win Mina’s heart.

Table 2: Jacques Torres

Mina & Kevin were overjoyed when a branch of Jacques Torres opened up right around the corner from their apartment.  Although they consider the shop's almost pudding-like hot chocolate a delight, Mina and Kevin's particular favorite is Jacques' famous chocolate chip cookies.

Table 4: Bay Bread Boulangerie

Who can resist the maracons of Bay Bread Boulanderie? Mina first discovered this delightful San Francisco bakery when she lived in the area, and has introduced Kevin to its deliciousness.  His favorite is the pear and Cambozola baguette sandwich.  Her favorite is, and will always be, the lavender macarons.

To hold the table number up, I considered DIY wine cork holders but that quickly fell by the wayside when I realized that it wold involve...well, effort.  Instead, we used the handy metal doodads (called "stanchions") provided by the venue.  Good 'nuff.

Guest photo--by the way just LOOK at that yummy centerpiece! I just wanna hug it.

How are you planning to tell your guests where to sit?