Don't let your wedding place cards be an afterthought. With a little imagination they can complement your wedding theme while adding a touch of whimsy to every table.

Whether you want something elegant and traditional or something off the beaten track, we've put together a few simple ideas to help get your creative juices flowing. All of these place cards can be created from your home computer and designed with our free templates at Avery Design & Print Online. And with our easy-to-use mail merge, it's simple to print the names of your guests on all your cards or labels at one time.

A Twist on Traditional

Put your personalize cards in individual frames, so your place card doubles as your wedding favour. Make sure and buy a variety of frames, so couples can go home with two different frames. Want to go simpler or less expensive? Add a touch of elegance by gluing a heavy stock colored paper underneath your printable tent card to complement your wedding colors.

By the Seashore

Beach weddings can be a fun way to get creative with your place cards, while adding some extra color and decor to your tables. For a whimsical beach chair place card, print a business card with fun colors and horizontal stripes. After printing, slightly bend the card to resemble a lounge chair and then place the finished cards in tray full of sand and stick a cocktail umbrella through each card and plant in the sand. If you want something a little more elegant, printable business cards can make lovely seaside place cards when tied to a starfish or stuck in a small seashell.

Regional Favourites

Want to treat your guests to local favourite fare? Let your place cards double as your wedding favors by personalizing a small bottle of wine, olive oil or syrup with printable label and hanging tag. Or use wine corks from a local winery to hold your place cards by cutting a small notch in the top to hold the card.

A Little Bit Rustic

For the casual outdoor wedding, use small clothing pins to hang your customized cards from pieces of twine.

A More Personal Touch

For a smaller more intimate wedding, gather digital images of your guests and print them on their place cards. Get humorous photos or pictures of when they were young to get fun conversations started at every table. Want to go a step further? Try cartoon characters. Having a movie themed wedding? Use vintage photos of classic movie stars that resemble your guests. This could take a little more work, but definitely a crowd pleaser.

For the Holidays

Create festive place cards with a little holiday cheer. Tie a sprig of pine or holly, or insert personalized business cards into mini pine cones. Holiday ornaments can also make wonderful holders, as the ring for the hooks holds a business card perfectly in place.