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October 3, 2013

Place Card Etiquette for A Company Banquet

Filed under: Event Planning Tips,Seasonal & Special Events Ideas — Tags: , — PDWriter @ 7:46 am

Estate Specialty Folded Place Cards by PaperDirectIf you’re the one who has been assigned with the task of organizing a company benefit, you will likely feel as if you’ve got your work cut out for you. A typical office environment can play out a bit like a soap opera, and if there are guests from out of town, or even International visitors, it can make the task that much more challenging. When figuring out how to approach place card etiquette, it is best to take things one step at a time.

Making the Seating Chart

In the United States, seating at a business banquet or similar event has not always been a big concern. In other countries, for example China, this is taken very seriously. The driving force for making a seating chart is honor, or the perception if it. If a company gets this wrong, future business dealings could be put at risk, potentially costing the company money.Euphoria Folded Place Cards by PaperDirect

Identify who is supposed to be considered the host, and sit them near the head of the table. Many suggest that the host should not be exactly at the head because it invites a separation between the host, guests of honor, and other people who are attending the meeting. The most honored guest should be seated to the right of the host, and the next most honored should sit on the their left.

Several things might put a person in position of honor including position in the company,

  • Representation of an International branch of the company, or a partnering company
  • Executive or manager at a company where a merger or other major transaction is on the table.
  • A person who has recently received an award of recognition
  • A person celebrating a birthday or retirement

Of course, everyone wants to feel important, therefore there needs to be a protocol in place that will keep some members from feeling as if they are so far down the totem pole that they are insignificant. If there are any tense relationships within the group, for example colleagues that were once in a relationship, care should be taken to see that their place cards are not next to one another.

 	 Wine Tasting Folded Place Cards by PaperDirectAddressing the Place Cards

The name you put on the place card is also important because it makes an impression and can play a large role in how much a guest or colleague feels respected and appreciated. If the banquet is an event where all parties may not know one another, tent cards should be used rather than flat cards. This means the occupant’s name should both face them and face outwardly in order to allow for networking.

Place card etiquette dictates that the formality be consistent throughout the addressing of the place cards. The most formal will have a title, and the full name of the guest, i.e.. Mr. Michael Jones, rather than Mike Jones. If he is the only “Mr. Jones” this is all that needs to face his place setting.

Whatever method you use, stay consistent. You may want to be formal for the top 3 or 4 guests of honor, and informal for subsequent guests. Much of the decision will depend on the company culture. A person’s everyday email signature may also indicate the appropriate way to address their card.

The Guest’s Role

In many cases, guests may not agree with seating arrangements, and may want to move a place card. Doing this without consulting the host is not advisable, and may make that employee seem unprofessional. However, guests that do make requests should be accommodated.

Ordering Place Cards

Regardless of the tone of the banquet, place cards need to look professional, and you can see that this is taken care of by ordering from Paper Direct. There are several designs to choose from, and the cards can either be ordered blank or preprinted, whichever is preferred.

October 24, 2012

Formal Tables Made Easy With Thanksgiving Place Cards

Filed under: Seasonal & Special Events Ideas — Tags: , — PDWriter @ 8:39 am

Fall Brilliance Folded Place Cards by PaperDirectAre you having a formal Thanksgiving dinner party and are panicked over getting everything together in time? With this wonderful holiday right around the corner, now is the time to think about all those little, finishing touches you’ll need to ensure the planning and dinner party go smoothly and as planned. Thanksgiving place cards from PaperDirect will not only help everyone know who’s sitting where, but they will add a touch of elegance to any Thanksgiving feast!

Adornment Folded Place Cards by PaperDirectHere are some of the most popular PaperDirect Thanksgiving place cards:

  • Adornment Folded Place Card
  • Fall Brilliance Folded Place Card
  • Swirls of Autumn Folded Place Card
  • Mahogany Rouge Folded Place Card
  • Symmetry in Nature Folded Place Card
  • Autumn Etching Folded Place Card

Thanksgiving Glow Deluxe Thanksgiving Greeting Cards by PaperDirectHave you made your Thanksgiving dinner list and checked it twice? PaperDirect is your online shopping source for other supplies you may need this holiday season. We have Thanksgiving invitations, Thanksgiving personalized napkins and even Thanksgiving greeting cards for loved ones and friends you may not see this year. Need suggestions on hosting a party? PaperDirect can help you there, too! Read some of these helpful blogs about hosting parties around the holidays:

 

February 17, 2011

Unique Place Cards Add Personality to Event Table Planning

Filed under: Designing Your Invitation — Tags: — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Estate Folded Place Cards by PaperDirectWhen hosting a large dinner party, especially a formal one, organization is everything. Invitations get sent with RSVP cards so the planner will know exactly who is going to be there. The meal courses have been selected and planned with care. Entertainment has been selected to compliment the party. And when it comes to details, every single one is attended to. This includes the seating arrangement for the evening. Instead of allowing for Hobson’s choice when it comes time to be seated, every single person is placed and can find where they’re supposed to sit with a unique place card.

Gold Balloons Folded Place CardsPlace cards can be as simple as a small white card with the person’s name on it, but those add nothing to the party. However, having fancy place cards made can be expensive and a hassle. Not only do you have to go pick the card style off of a standard list, but you have to give the printer a list of names. This in and of itself can be a troublesome thing because it’s a slight invasion of privacy to let anyone know what your guest list is going to be. After that, the names have to be laid out and proofed for accuracy and then the place cards can be printed.

Wine Tasting Folded Place CardsOne way to reduce expenses, to control the guest list information and to have the place cards reflects the theme of the evening is to print your own. Getting blank or pre-designed place card stock is as simple as going online and looking around a little. Templates can be downloaded for them that work great with your favorite word processor or design program so setup is a snap. Simply put the names into the template and any other design cues you want, whether it’s a logo or a shape or even balloons for a birthday party, and hit the print button. In just a very few minutes, you’ll have generated all the place cards for the party. And printing your own means if there are any last minute additions, you can print those pretty much on the fly, even right up to the moment when everyone sits down.

Using place cards during the planning process means groupings can be planned as carefully as the menu. Sometimes groups need to be together because of commonalities, sometimes the planner is supposed to play “matchmaker” and sometimes politics and networking is involved. By having the place cards as an integral part of the party means that quite a few of them will go home with the guest instead of becoming part of the cleanup process. And if the “matchmaker” is lucky, some of those place cards may have a phone number on them at the end of the evening.

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