Let’s talk about something every couple needs for their wedding but rarely talks about - table numbers! While they aren’t the most glamorous décor feature at your wedding, they are very important for your guests. Table numbers are key to ensuring a great experience for guests by keeping your reception organized.

If you’re new to this blog, I’m Allyson, owner of The Pemberley Creative. I offer a wide variety of hand lettering and calligraphy services, and I specialize in wedding signage. If you hire me as your calligrapher, I will keep all of the following tips in mind for you as part of your calligraphy services. I’d love to talk more about your wedding vision and calligraphy needs - I can help you with any and all of the table number ideas shown in this post. However, if you are here to learn ALL about wedding table numbers, read on!

LET’S TALK

*Hand Lettered Wedding Table Number on Coral Acrylic*

What are wedding table numbers and why are they important?

Simply put, wedding table numbers are small, numbered signs used in conjunction with your seating chart to point guests to their assigned seats. The seating chart or escort card lists the guest’s name and assigned table number; the table number sign labels the corresponding table accordingly.

If you are on the fence in any way as to why you need a wedding seating plan (and therefore, table numbers), let me take a moment to convince you. I would say that a reception seating arrangement is a strong “must have” for your wedding. There are definitely certain groups of people that will want to sit together at your wedding - think your parents and their siblings or grandparents, or your group of friends from college. But you also have a limited number of tables, a certain number of seats at each table, and specific tables that important people should sit at (i.e. your VIP guests want a better view of the action than your great aunt twice removed). Your guests don’t have the ability to figure all of that out on the fly, so it’s on you (or possibly with the help of your wedding planner) to make a seating arrangement so that everyone has their own place at the reception or dinner.

*Wedding Table Numbers on Acrylic with Gold Leaf*

Regardless of how you go about sharing and explaining your seating arrangement (seating chart, escort cards, etc.), you will need table numbers to correspond with the reception seating arrangement to show guests where they go! Hence the importance of table numbers. Now that I’ve convinced you, let’s move on to the do’s and don’ts of table numbers, some frequently asked questions, and plenty of table number inspiration pictures.

The DOs and DON’Ts of Wedding Table Numbers

DO make sure they are legible

The primary function of table numbers is to communicate information (as is the case with most wedding signage). We’ve already covered how important table numbers are for your guests - make sure they can read them! While I’m all for elegant table numbers lettered in a fancy script, the numbers (at the very least) need to be legible. If you can’t make out that fancy script from several feet away, it’s too hard to read. If you’re concerned about readability, I’d recommend keeping the actual numbers numerical rather than written out (see below). These modern wedding table numbers feature a sleek design and are easy to read - a win-win!

*Modern Table Numbers on Frosted Acrylic with Numeral Only*

DON’T hide them in your table décor

You probably have a beautiful plan for your table centerpieces, but don’t forget that your table numbers need to go somewhere in or around that décor. Guests should be able to see the table numbers from the direction where they are entering the reception, i.e., if your table numbers are behind a centerpiece opposite the entrance, they’re not serving their purpose! You could even work the table labels into the centerpiece itself, like in this terrarium table number.

I recommend having table number signs of AT LEAST 4x6” (but I think 5x7” is the perfect size) so that the lettering is big enough to read. If you really want to minimize the table numbers among your other décor items, try using a format that is just the number itself to save space.

DO use a contrasting color combination

Make sure to use table numbers with a material and color combination that stands out from your table décor. If you’re having white tablecloths with white floral centerpieces, clear acrylic table numbers with white lettering will just get lost in the mix. I can’t emphasize this point enough - if your guests can’t easily read your table numbers, there’s no point in having them! If you’re not sure what will stand out against your tablescape, acrylic table numbers with a painted back are a good choice - just make sure the lettering color contrasts with the back paint color for best legibility.

*Acrylic Wedding Table Number with Back Painted Sage Green*

DO be creative!

Getting creative with your table numbers is a great way to personalize your wedding décor without being too over the top. You can incorporate your wedding materials, colors, or even do something totally different, like play into a subtle theme. I created a Lord of the Rings themed seating chart, with locations from the beloved series as the table names. These wedding table numbers on wood were a great way to show off the couple’s creativity and personality as a couple without having a full on themed wedding. Additionally, the wood seating chart tied in with the wooden table numbers created a cohesive look for the day.

*Fantasy Themed Wedding Table Numbers on Wood*

But DON’T overcomplicate them

I have an embarrassing confession to make - I had very cluttered and busy table numbers at my own wedding.

I was set on having a subtle book theme incorporated into our wedding. An easy way to do this (I thought) was to have some romantic quotes from my favorite books on our table numbers. The result? A 5x7” piece of paper crammed with a small number and an even smaller quote that guests didn’t even notice was there. Trust me - I asked several friends afterward and I think only one had noticed my carefully curated romantic quotes that I was so excited about.

The moral of my table number snafu is this: there are plenty of places to incorporate themed quotes into your wedding, but a small table number is not necessarily the place. A welcome sign or larger piece of décor would be a much better choice for this.

DO keep it cohesive

There’s something to be said about continuity and having a cohesive feel for the signage used in your wedding. Consider the signage materials that you are using elsewhere in your wedding to determine the materials for your wedding table numbers. For example, if you have a wooden welcome sign at your rustic wedding ceremony, having wooden table numbers makes sense and brings everything together.

Abby & Evan wanted sleek black and white acrylic pieces for their signage suite, so we decided on frosted acrylic table numbers with white lettering. The frosted acrylic material complemented their larger, black acrylic signage and unified the vibe by using the same material. Selecting coordinating materials for your wedding table numbers will go a long way in creating a unified, put together appearance for your wedding décor.

DON’T forget stands

If you are using most anything but a picture frame, you will need to consider how you are going to prop up your table numbers. For acrylic table numbers, acrylic or wood bases are very popular. For wood or mirror table numbers you can use a small metal easel. For paper table numbers you can find metal holders that the paper slides into to hold it in place. You can even find tall versions of these that really help with visibility among your table décor. Be sure you don’t forget your wedding table number stands!

*Wedding Table Numbers with Gold Lettering on Frosted Acrylic*

Frequently Asked Questions about Wedding Table Numbers

Didn’t find what you were looking for in the DO’s and DON’Ts of table numbers? Here are some frequently asked questions I get about table numbers from my clients.

Do I need table numbers for banquet style tables?

In case you missed my intro to this blog post, I would consider table numbers to be a “must” (or at the very least strongly suggested) for every wedding. You likely are going to have multiple banquet style tables, so table numbers help to distribute the groups of guests so that there aren’t too many people trying to sit at one table and not enough at another. I would even recommend using place cards in addition to the table numbers for long tables, especially for tables that seat more than 20 people. This ensures that guests of honor have a seat where they can see the action, and that people that came together can sit together (like you would set it up for a more traditional seating plan).

Do table numbers need to be double sided?

In general, I would say no. Your reception venue will likely only have one point of entry, and if you’ve made the table numbers sufficiently legible as I suggested, guests shouldn’t have a problem spotting them.

What size should my table numbers be?

I recommend a table number size of 5x7” for my clients.

Does the order of table numbers matter?

Not really - there isn’t any significance as to whether a guest is at table #1 or table #15. But for the benefit of your guests, put them as close to numerical order (presumably from left to right) as you can.

Looking for more information about other wedding signage?

Are you still wondering what other signs you may need for your wedding? Check out my post about “must have” wedding signage.

I go into full detail about all of the possible wedding signage options you may want to consider in my free guide, Your Ultimate Guide to Wedding Signage (plus a checklist!). You can get it now by signing up here.

Looking for more wedding signage ideas and inspiration? You can see some of my favorite pieces that I have created here.

Are you ready to take the next step and start planning your wedding signage?

Contact Me

Wedding Table Numbers: Do’s and Don’ts