Once you enter the wild whirlwind of wedding planning, you encounter a whole new set of jargon. For example: a bathroom basket is an expected vessel packed with assorted toiletries for guests, placed in venue restrooms, assembled by someone in the wedding party. There’s the first look: a private staged moment photographed of the couple just prior to marching down the aisle. Then there’s the escort wall – for this explanation we turned to the expert, Julia Darigan, sales manager at Ryan Designs, a firm based in West Warwick specializing in transforming spaces.
“An escort wall is typically interactive by providing a tangible element for guests to take with them,” Darigan begins. “Sometimes, the item used as the escort card that lists the guest’s name and table assignment can even double as wedding favors for a creative and budget-friendly gift. The escort card or token is generally something meaningful to the couple that they would like to share with their loved ones, or it simply matches their wedding’s aesthetic or theme.” Darigan describes the structure as an “elegant and sophisticated large-scale display that elevates the standard wedding seating chart.”
Escort walls are often created with the help of a designer who can best understand their client’s overall style, the couple’s love story and history, and their vision of how they would ultimately like to welcome their guests to their wedding; a crafty couple might try a DIY approach. The display is usually placed at the entrance of the venue or reception space. “This is a fun and creative way for the couples to express their own unique personality and style,” says Darigan.
The process at Ryan Designs begins by creating the foundation of the wall by selecting the size, shape, and structure, including a custom paint color or wallpaper. Once couples have decided what type of escort card they would like to use, the brainstorming begins with options like placing cards on shelving, linked to hooks, or with something as simple as a clear glue-dot for a seamless invisible attachment. Next, Ryan Designs assist clients with designing, building, and installing (and disassembling) the structure at their venue, while the wedding planner or day-of-coordinator is responsible for supplying and attaching the escort cards to the wall. “We always recommend adding floral arrangements and candle lanterns along the footing of the wall to create a finished look,” says Darigan.
So, do clients keep the wall? Says Darigan, “Our clients usually keep any keepsakes, favors, stationery, or personalized decor associated with their specific event – although not the wall itself!”
Darigan shares card inspo from recent escort walls
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