Signs at weddings have become a necessity to not only convey to guests what they should be expecting for the evening, but also to reflect your personal style as a couple. Being that every wedding these days is unique, providing your guests with the "what to do next" to keep the night moving smoothly keeps everyone happy, whether it be directing them to their seat, what to order at the bar, and how to tag your photos on social media. Below is what I consider the core list of wedding signage that nearly all Letters & Dust couples order.
1. WELCOME SIGN
Starting with a welcome sign, especially if your venue is at a private residence or is not well marked, a welcome sign lets guests know that they are in the right place and heading down the right path. Welcome signs also make for great photos so guests can commemorate your special day.
Photo credits ( left to right): Emily Grant Photography, Deyla Huss Photography, Casi Yost
2. CARDS & GIFTS / GUESTBOOK SIGNS
After the welcome sign, typically guests will pass by a table for cards and gifts, as well as a guestbook to sign. Having these small signs remind people that the table is for those activities, otherwise you may have people who are just dropping off a card but who may forget to sign the guestbook. Many couples are also opting for a more fun version of a guestbook such as a photo or map for guests to sign, or writing a message to be placed in a bottle which is broken on anniversaries—there are endless possibilities, and some may require explanation which is where the sign comes in handy.
3. CHOOSE A SEAT
Nothing will cause your guests more anxiety than not knowing if seating at the ceremony is open, if they are supposed to choose a side, and if there are any reserved rows for family. Current trends seem to be allowing guests to sit wherever they would like, but giving them a heads up on this makes the process much smoother.
Photo Credit: Jessica Heron, James Hays, Simply Splendid
4. UNPLUGGED CEREMONY SIGN
The other popular sign for ceremony spaces is the unplugged ceremony sign, just reminding guests to please put their phones away and join you in the special moment—no one wants their wedding photos to come back with guests holding up cell phones taking their own photos. This sign is not absolutely necessary, couples can have their officiant make an announcement before the ceremony starts, but if you do feel like they’re going to be some people in attendance that need multiple reminders, having a sign is a great idea.
Photo Credit (from left to right): Laurken Kendall , Deyla Huss Photography, Lucas Rossi Photo
5. ORDER OF EVENTS SIGN
After the ceremony, guests will suddenly be looking for somewhere to go—having an order of events sign will help them navigate if they are going for a cocktail hour while the couple has photos, if they are heading straight to dinner, or if you have another activity planned. It's also good to include this sign so guests know when they can leave—yes that sounds like a downer, but some guests may be wanting to make their exit after the cake cutting, then the real party starts for those that stick around!
Photo Credit (from left to right): Justin Lee Photography , Laurken Kendall , L&D
6. BAR SIGNS
Bar signage is another fun inclusion of the cocktail hour or the reception space or both! Cocktail signs are also we are adding personal touches or a fun color keeps guests interested and excited for the evening. Whether it be naming a cocktail after your pet, coming up with funny names, or including an anecdote about how they may not remember the next morning, these signs are where it’s fun to be personal!
Photo Credit (from left to right): Monique Serra, Alexandra Pallas, Dylan Howell
7. SEATNG CHART
The next stage of the evening is usually when guests are ushered to the main reception space for their formal dinner, which, depending on your style of wedding you may or may not need to include a seating chart. If you have your guests write in a meal option on their RSVP card you will need a seating chart as well as place cards. If you are doing a buffet style or family style, a seating chart is not necessarily needed. Seating charts are also a fun place to create a statement piece being that every guest will have to stop and look at it. In terms of organizing a seating chart, I typically tell my couples that if they have more than 120 people attending, it’s better to do the seating chart alphabetically rather than by table, just to keep the flow of traffic moving so everyone can find their seat efficiently. Coordinating place cards also help this process go more smoothly, or you can opt for individuals to simply find their table and take a seat.
Photo Credit (from left to right): Yasmin Khajavi Photography, L&D, Bridal Bliss
8. TABLE NUMBERS
Table numbers obviously correspond to those including a seating chart, however if you are having open seating, table numbers may help guests remember where they are sitting after they've had a few rounds on the dance floor.
9. PHOTOBOOTH / HASHTAG SIGN
If you plan to include a more D.I.Y. style photobooth or photo guest book at your wedding, having an instruction sign is helpful so guests know they can use the camera, and also to leave a photo for the couple as well as take one for themselves. The second part of this is a hashtag which allows couple to search social media for the photos their guests took of their wedding day—extra points for witty hashtags!
Photo Credit (from left to right): The Marshalls Photography, Elli Lauren Photography, L&D
10. FAVORS SIGN
And lastly a favors sign if you are items for guests to take home so they know how many to take per family.
Keep in mind, the amount of signs you have at your wedding is basically how much instruction you feel you need to give your guests—it’s always better to air on the side of more instruction rather than less. Giving directions prevents guests standing around scratching their heads and holding up your timeline, but depending on your style of wedding and ceremony, many of these can either be condensed onto one sign or omitted completely. There are also plenty of additional signs such as a program, dinner menu, dessert menu, chair signs, as well as special quote signs that are meaningful to you and your partner that can be added onto any sign set—there are literally endless possibilities, and we'd love to help you create them!