DIY Wedding or Event Menus, Place Cards, and Programs

Menus and place cards and programs.... OH MY! 

Do-It-Yourself wedding day or special event paper goods are a great way to save money on your wedding day. While a DIY full invitation suite can be challenging, doing the day-of goods is easier than you probably think! 

The paper you choose can say a lot about your event. Choosing a high quality, heavy cardstock like the ones available at Cardstock Warehouse, gives your wedding guests a feel of luxury and class without having to spend a fortune. 

Throwing a modern elegant wedding or party? Cardstock Warehouse Cardstock Papers Stardream Metallics might be for you. Does your event have more or a rustic feel? Try the Kraft Collection or the Speckletone Collection! Old-world sophistication more of your style? Check out the Pergamenata Parchment Collection.

No matter what your theme, Cardstock Warehouse has the paper for you! To compare papers and find a perfect fit, we suggest purchasing a Swatch Deck, which shows you EVERY color and weight we carry and allows you to make the perfect choice! 

You have a lot of options when it comes to designing your accessories. You can design them yourself, you can work with a designer, or you can buy a pre-made design on a site like Etsy or Creative Market. 

If you are designing your own, a template can be very helpful! The 8.5" x 11" templates below (in .png format) can be used in any design software and will help you align your text to get a more professional look. To download the templates, simply click on the one you want and then save it to your desktop. For more details on how to use them, see their corresponding sections below. 

      

Besides their obvious function, paper menus are a beautiful addition to any tablescape. Printing 3 menus on an 8.5" x 11" page makes them the perfect size to lay across a plate, pair with a napkin, or put in a napkin pocket.

DESIGNING & PRINTING

Menus are very easy to make on your own, and using our Menu Template makes it even easier! (Open the link, then right-click to save!) 

CUTTING

Once you have your menu designed and printed, you will need to cut them. The template is divided into three 3.5 inch sections with one .5 inch section leftover. We recommend purchasing an inexpensive paper cutter for cutting large quantities of paper goods. A paper cutter will make things easier, faster, and more accurate. Decent paper cutters are easy to find at a variety of stores and online, usually for around $25.

 

Once you have your menus cut, you can pair them with a matching napkin or place them directly on the plate. 

Step one of escort and/or place cards is knowing the difference between the two! 

• An Escort Card tells your guest what table to sit at
• A Place Card tells your guest where to sit at the actual table

For example, you may have a table near the entrance of your reception full of escort cards directing guests to their table, and then have a place card at their place setting once they get to the table. You can use one or the other, both, or pair a place card with a seating chart.

DESIGNING & PRINTING

To use the Place Card Template, follow the same procedure as for the menu above. The only thing to keep in mind is the fold line of the place card. The template is set up for 6 tented place cards that fold in the middle. Use this diagram and example template to help you set up your document. (Click on the image to make it larger.)

        

CUTTING

As mentioned before, a paper cutter will make cutting your place cards MUCH easier. Simply cut off the 1/2 inch waste on the end, cut the 3.5 inch columns, then cut those in half to separate the place cards. Watch the time lapse video below to see escort card cutting in action!

 

SCORING

Scoring your place cards is a CRUCIAL step to getting a clean fold. If you do not score your cards, you will get wrinkles along your fold line. A scoring board will help immensely, but if you don't have one, you can make an easy scoring board with a piece of felt. 

To make your felt scoring board:

1. Use tape or a permanent marker to mark the size of the place or escort card. 
2. Use a ruler to mark the center line.
3. Use the scoring tool of your choice to make an indention down the center line of the place or escort card. Make sure not to push too hard and puncture the paper.
4. Gently fold along the score line.

  Your place and escort cards are now ready for the big day! (Paper goods below printed on Starch White Speckletone cardstock.)

 

The hardest part about designing your program is deciding which information to include. The program on the left, printed on Antique Gold Stardream cardstock, includes a full schedule of the wedding including the names of family and bridal party members, music selections, and readings. The program on the right, printed on Starch White Speckletone cardstock, goes a more simple route and just gives a rough outline of the schedule of events. 

 

Ultimately, it comes down to personal choice and the tone of your event. A more formal wedding should have a more formal paper suite. 

Using half of an 8.5" x 11" paper makes a perfect program that is easy to design and print. The Program Template works just like the other templates above, but only has to be cut once, right down the center. This makes cutting a breeze! 

Multiple test prints on plain paper to get the alignment right may be required. Remember that trial and error is a natural and necessary part of DIYing and try to be patient. :-) Sometimes you will have to adjust spacing and print test multiple times. As always, remember to run a print test on your chosen final paper before setting to print a large volume.  

Paper punches are a great way to add some interest to your paper goods! You can round the corners of your paper goods using a punch, or cut out place cards using a shape punch like the 2" circle punch place cards seen below. 

To create circle place cards like these, printed on Bianco Pergamenata Parchment, simply create a document with the names inside cirlces that are 1.5" in diameter, print, and punch! 

 

 

Another way to add interest to your paper goods is to add a pattern or texture to your text. In the paper suite below, printed on Madero Beach Speckletone cardstock, a watercolor effect was added to the text to create a tropical feel for a beach wedding.

 

The easiest way to achieve this effect is to design your paper goods in Adobe Illustrator and use the Clipping Mask tool. 

Using high quality Cardstock Warehouse paper and a good design program, you can create professional-looking paper goods for your wedding at a fraction of the cost of store bought goods. 

Remember to like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more paper filled fun!! 

Happy Crafting ~ Happy Wedding Day ~ Congratulations and Cheers!