15 Signs you May Need to Buy for your Wedding Day
Wedding signage is something you maybe haven’t put much thought into, but really is a significant part to wrap your day together and keep things cohesive. Whether you’re DIYing it, or hiring incredible stationers and other vendors that can make custom pieces for you, it’s important to know what you’ll really need for your wedding day to be as fun and smooth as possible. Here is a list of the 16 most common signs that you may want to have made and set up for your wedding day.
Welcome Sign
This is definitely not a mandatory sign for your wedding day, but it definitely is trendy and people really enjoy having something that indicates to their guests that they are in the right place.
2. Unplugged Ceremony Sign
If you’re hoping that your guests will live more “in the moment” and avoid using their phones to take photos during your ceremony, this is a good start to make sure your guests aren’t putting their phones out in the aisle during your first kiss. To really ensure this doesn’t happen, I recommend having your officiant announce it right before or after the processional.
3. Rules Signs (no entering house, please use porta potties, smoking permitted here, etc.)
If your venue has any unique rules, you’ll definitely want to have some signage if they don’t already have any for you. This includes signs like “no entrance past stairs”, “no entering our home”, “please use porta-potties”, or “smoking permitted here”. This also is extra helpful when you are getting married at your own home.
4. Signature Cocktail and/or Nonalcoholic Mocktail Options
If you’re having a signature cocktails or mocktails for your guests, you definitely want to let them know what they are! Some signs also include photos/drawings of the drink, or the thing they are named after (like your furry friends!).
5. “Parking this Way” Sign
If you have parking lots that are hard to navigate or find, some parking arrows may help your guests out a bit. Typically, as long as you give an address or location to the lot on your invite/wedding website, you don’t usually have to worry about this.
6. “Bathrooms this Way” Sign
If your venue has bathrooms offsite from the reception or that are hard to find, I would highly recommend some signs that indicate where they should go. Even having one outside of the venue space will save your guests some confusion.
7. Table Numbers
One of the most commonly used signages is your table numbers. I highly recommend pairing this with either escort cards and/or a seating chart to ensure that your guests all have a place to sit.
8. Cards/Gifts Sign
Even if you have a big card box that looks exactly as a card box, your guests often will be unsure if their gifts are supposed to go in the same area. Usually, they will concede and put down the gifts, but if you want to be extra clear you can definitely add a sign to the table.
9. Guest Book Sign
You may have a guest book out somewhere, but your guests may not know what it is if it’s a non-traditional guest book! Sometimes, it’s nice to have some kind of sign that says, “please sign our guestbook” so they know they are supposed to do something for you.
10. Timeline Sign
Many guests say that they actually like a timeline sign to indicate where and when each event is happening. This really is to tell your guests where and when your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception starts and ends. This is especially helpful when your ceremony and cocktail hour has some open time, so your guests know they can stop by the hotel to drop off their things or so they know when to be prepared to eat dinner so they can snack accordingly.
11. Seating Chart, Escort Cards, and Place Cards
All three of these options are ways to indicate to your guests where they need to be sitting during your wedding reception. A seating chart is literally a large chart that indicates where all guests are sitting by their corresponding table number. Escort cards are the folded papers that say the guests’ name and their table number. Place cards are usually at the table already that are typically personalized a little for the guests to know exactly what seat they are supposed to be sitting at. All three of these things can ensure that your guests don’t have to think about where they are sitting.
12. Dessert and/or Late Night Snacks Menu
Often times, desserts and late night snacks will be placed on a table near or at the end of dinner. Usually, it’s pretty obvious what these things are, but if you have unique desserts or late night snacks you may want to have a “menu” for guests to know what they are eating.
13. “Help Yourself” Bathroom Basket Sign
If you’re doing any bathroom baskets of items your guests may need throughout the night, I highly recommend adding a sign that says “please help yourself, from ____ and ____”. Guests often will not use items in the bathroom if they don’t realize they are allowed to take them.
14. “In Memory” Sign
If you’re having a table that is in memory of people who have passed away, it’s always nice to indicate that it is set out for those who are no longer with us.
15. “Please Take” Sign for Favors
Favors are definitely one of the items that are most often left behind. I recommend having some fun sign that says what the item is, a pun about it, or something that simply says “please take one”.
Not every wedding will need all of these signs, but these are the most common signs that you may need to make sure your wedding day is as smooth as possible for your guests. It’s also fun to have some of these signs to show off your personality a little more! Make sure to look through this list when you’re planning your decor just to make sure you have everything you need covered.
If you need some help knowing what signage you’ll need for your wedding, you can reach out to me here.
