Reception Question: Escort Cards

Q:  "How do I alphabetize the seating cards for couples who don't share the same last name?  Under his name or hers?"  

A:  I am asked this question by every single bride that I work with and I would like to set the record strait on the proper etiquette on this great planning question:  The easiest solution is to provide a card for each guest.  That would certainly eliminate any difficult decisions.  However, this would mean you'd need almost twice the display space, which could pose a problem if your guest list is large.

A more space saving option:  Use a single seating card for each twosome and follow the form you used when addressing your invitations.  If the couple live together or are married, put the woman's name before the man's (and be sure to alphabetize by her last name).  If an established couple does not share an address, however, each should get an individual card, just as they received their own invitation.  If you sent an invitation with an "and Guest" notation, simply ask for the name of the person your friend is inviting before the wedding and make sure the date gets a separate seating card.  And no, it does not matter whether you are closer to one than the other; you should be consistent in how you alphabetize your cards (which means no playing favorites).

Last, don't worry about whether your guests will have trouble figuring out which name to look under; they'll spot the trend quickly enough once they look at the display.