How to Make Tent Cards for Formal Dinner Seating

The function of tent cards at dinner tables is identification, whether the function if formal or casual. The difference between place cards for formal and casual gatherings is paper quality; a host should print formal place cards on high-quality card stock free of superfluous embellishment. The place card must have a clear, easy-to-read font of substantial size. The less is more guideline applies to place cards, and a simple surname suffices at the grandest of occasions. If you do choose an ornate design, make sure it reads easily and allows the guest to identify her seat quickly without confusion.

Instructions

1

Set your word-processing software to the portrait setting in the page-layout menu.

2

Adjust the margins to accommodate the card stock.

3

Load the card stock into the printer.

4

Scroll down to the halfway point on the word-processing page. The halfway point represents the location of the fold of the tent.

5

Set the text alignment to center and adjust the font to 20 point. Set the font to Times New Roman. You can use a different font if you wish, but make sure the guest can read his name clearly without unnecessary distractions from difficult-to-decipher lettering.

6

Enter the last name of the reservation. If the entire table is dedicated to one family, one place card with the last name will suffice.

7

Print the tent card. Fold the cards horizontally in the center at the scored line. If your cards do not have a scored line, use a ruler to mark the center point and fold.