It finally happened – you mailed your wedding invitations and your guests are starting to receive them in their mailboxes. What an exciting time! All your planning and prep work is worth it and your wedding is just weeks away. Now that your invitations have left your hands and made their way into the hands of your friends and family, it’s their turn to do a little work. It’s time for them to RSVP!
You might know that the term “RSVP” means you want your guests to respond to your invitation, but let’s dive a little deeper into what it really is. The acronym RSVP stands for the French phrase “Repondez, s’il vous plaît.” When translated, it means “respond, if you please.” When you read it that way, it’s kind of comical because you are essentially commanding your guests to respond, but with super polite manners 😉 However, you do need their response in order to properly plan, so commanding their response is necessary!
How Should I Ask My Guests to RSVP?
While the traditional response card tucked into your outer envelope is still a popular option, you can also consider digital options to collect your RSVPs. Ultimately, this comes down to personal preference and knowing your “crowd”. Opting for a digital response may mean a quicker turnaround time from your guests, as well as help cut costs. However, including a paper RSVP in your suite will enhance the aesthetics of your suite as well as delight those with a more traditional taste.
Using a Paper RSVP Card
When including a paper RSVP card in your suite, you’ll need to take a few things into consideration:
- Make sure to include a return envelope with a stamp that will be sent back to you.
- If you’re wanting to ensure your guests don’t add any surprises such as a plus-one or a child you weren’t anticipating attending, be specific in your wording. My client wording guide will guide you through these options!
- Be sure to include a “respond by” date.
- If you’re having a plated dinner, offer check box options for their meal choice. If desired, you could also include a line for dietary restrictions.
- Be sure to take as much of the guesswork out for your guests by providing “fill in the blanks” and checkboxes. The more detail and instruction, the better.
Using a Digital RSVP Option
When using an online platform or an app for collecting RSVPs, you’ll need to consider the following:
- Be sure to put wording on your invitation details card about how they can submit their online RSVP.
- Run a few tests first. Have your parents or close friends test out the RSVP feature to ensure it works properly before sending out your invites.
- As mentioned above, you’ll need to make this a straightforward process for your guests. If this is an adult-only wedding, be sure to mention that. If there are meal choices, have a way for your guests to make their selections. Also, be sure to include a deadline.
I hope you found this information to be helpful, and that it helps answer any questions you have about wedding RSVPs. If you need help with how to word your invitations, I’ve got you covered. Check out this blog post!
