How To Make Place Cards: Sizes, Card Weight And Pens

We design and print cards and prints in the UK and post them first class. We don't print place cards to order - everything below is free to copy, whether you make your own or buy the card that goes with the occasion.

Home-made place cards look expensive when the cutting is straight and the pen is right, and homemade when they aren't. Both come down to about ten minutes of setup.

Here's the whole method, including the sizes to cut and the pens that don't bleed.

What to buy

• 300-350gsm card. Anything lighter flops over by the main course.
• A metal ruler and a craft knife, not scissors. Scissors wobble and it shows.
• A cutting mat, or a thick magazine you don't mind ruining.
• A bone folder, or the back of a butter knife, for the fold.
• A fine pen that doesn't bleed on uncoated card - a 0.5mm gel or a fineliner.

The cutting sizes

• Folded tent card: cut 90 x 110mm, score across the middle, fold to 90 x 55mm.
• Flat card: cut 85 x 55mm.
• Large tent card for long tables: cut 100 x 140mm, fold to 100 x 70mm.
• Cut everything in one go with the ruler fixed in place - resetting it between cuts is where sizes drift.

Folding and writing neatly

• Score before folding. An unscored fold cracks the card face.
• Pencil a light baseline 15mm from the bottom, write on it, rub it out when dry.
• Faux calligraphy: write normally, then thicken every downstroke. Five minutes of practice, looks deliberate.
• Write every card's first letter first, then all the rest. Consistency comes from repetition, not care.
• Let the ink dry fully before stacking, or you'll transfer it.

Holders you can make

• Wine cork laid flat with a slit cut along the top.
• A slice of apple or potato with a knife slit - lasts one evening, costs nothing.
• Twist of wire into a spiral base.
• Slot the card into a folded napkin and skip the holder entirely.

Shop all cards

Prints that suit a laid table

A5, A4 and A3 art prints, drawn in house and printed in the UK.

How to write it so it lands

• Cut ten per cent more cards than guests. You will ruin some.
• Do all the cutting in one session and all the writing in another.
• Practise three names on a scrap before starting the real ones.

Where to shop next

• Place cards: the complete guide
• Wedding place cards
• Christmas table name cards
• Thanksgiving and dinner party place cards
• Place card wording and etiquette
• Free printables
• Wall art and prints
• All guides
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas

Frequently asked questions

What card weight is best for place cards?

300-350gsm. Lighter card curls and folds over during the meal, and it's obvious across the table.

What size should I cut a folded place card?

Cut 90 x 110mm and fold it in half to give a 90 x 55mm tent card. For long tables, cut 100 x 140mm instead.

What pen should I use on place cards?

A 0.5mm gel pen or fineliner on uncoated card. Test one first - some markers bleed badly on textured or kraft stock.