Cute DIY Name Cards for Any Dinner Occasion
Updated on May 6, 2016
One of our favourite parts of hosting a nice dinner is choosing the place settings and making the place cards. No matter what the occasion is (and sometimes even if there isn’t a specific one), we think that making your own place cards is an awesome opportunity for your DIY skills!
Check out these creative place cards that give your tablescape a subtle hint of extra care to impress your guests.
1. Prize ribbon place cards
Whether you’re hosting a sport’s team dinner, a kid’s birthday, or celebrating a promotion at work, these “winner’s” ribbons will make the guest of honour and all their guests feel special. Check out how 100 Layer Cake made them.
2. Simple twine place setting
Are you getting together with your crafting group or some fellow moms who also love DIY? Place their cutlery in the whole down the center of a ball of twine and give each one a name, just like Sweet Paul did. It might not be a specific occasion, but at least it relates to something you all love!
3. Donut place cards
What’s even better than your own adorably customized place card? A place card that you can eat, of course! These delicious little donut markers give each guest an extra treat. Thanks to Wedding Paper Divas for this delicious idea!
4. Succulent place cards
Get creative with how you package each plant and then give all of your guests a small, feisty succulent plant to take home, just like Style Me Pretty. They’re low maintenance, super trendy right now, and they’ll totally brighten up both your tablescape and your guest’s rooms.
5. Lemon boat place cards
This quick and easy tutorial from Marie Claire is in French, but we’re pretty sure you can understand how adorable these lemon “boats” look on a summertime tablescape. People might even use the lemons to amp up the flavour of their dinner!
6. Turkey cork place cards
Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be complete without some kind of cute turkey decoration somewhere on the table! It might seem like a silly gimmick, but people feel special when you take the time to make them something (even if it’s just a little cork turkey). Check out how Almost Makes Perfect made theirs!
7. Coffee filter place cards
If you’re great at drawing or calligraphy, then you’ll love customizing simple coffee filters for each of your beloved guests! Papery and Cakery shows you how a folded coffee filter makes the perfect pocket to slide cutlery into!
8. Wine glass terrarium place cards
Perhaps you really like the idea of giving each person a plant, but you’re not sure they’ll actually want to take a plant home. Use your wine glass and some mini crafting supplies to make a fake terrarium on each person’s plate, complete with their name sprouting! Wedding Chicks walks you through the process.
9. Pinwheel place cards
You can bet that kids and adults alike will be blowing on these pinwheels to make them spin all over the backyard on a hot summer’s day! Glue a name to each one and place the stick in their glass or among the folds of a creatively folded napkin set up. Project Wedding shows you how they’re made.
10. Peep place cards
Easter is the perfect time for little marshmallow peeps “sitting” on a small nest! Even if your guests aren’t fans of the way peeps taste, they’ll love the momentary springtime scene their place setting gives them. See how it’s done on Parenting.
11. Straw flag place cards
Do you want to keep it simple but still DIY? Use cocktail skewers or small straws like tiny flag poles to support each person’s name, then slide those into a novelty sized shot glass dessert, just like Wedding Chicks did.
12. Chalkboard place cards
reminds you just how useful chalkboard paint and chalk can be for anything related to DIY! Making tiny chalkboards lets you write whoever’s name you want and reuse the tags when you’re finished dinner. Check out how they’re done at Crafts Unleashed.
13. Origami flower place cards
These beautifully folded place cards are surprisingly easy to make and they don’t take any complicated materials either. Guests will be impressed that you folded them all on your own because they’re deceivingly intricate looking. Check out how they’re really done on Marta Stewart Weddings!
14. Artichoke place cards
Sometimes a backyard dinner or a rustic farm wedding just needs a bit of the natural world included at each table! Why not use vegetables? In fact, the outside peel of an artichoke basically makes it a naturally grown place holder anyways because you can slip the name card right in, just like Wedding Chicks did here!
15. Spool of thread place cards
Lollipoop sticks with chich name tags glued on top fit right into the hole down the center of a vintage thread spool. These are perfect for any guests or occasion that relates to crafting and DIY! Check out how Wedding Chicks styled their tablescape around these crafty little markers.
Do you know someone who loves going all out with decor when they host dinner? Share this post with them for a little bit of place card inspiration!