An important part of any event is the guest list! A guest list is the best way to know who will be attending and who can’t make it to your special day. Sending an RSVP card with your invitation, or including RSVP information on your wedding website, provides people with an easy way to accept or decline. If you’re a beloved guest who has been invited to a wedding, it can be hard to know how to properly respond to an RSVP. We’re here to help you through every aspect of the wedding process, including breaking down RSVPs.
What is an RSVP?
RSVP stands for “Répondez s’il vous plaît” which, translated from French, means: respond, if you please. This is why it’s considered impolite to not respond to an RSVP. When you receive an invitation, you should always either reply that you decline or accept, and provide any details that they require.
Normally, an RSVP is sent as a small card with a mini return envelope included with the invitation. The small envelope has the return address of the sender and a stamp, so there’s no reason that guests can’t mail the RSVP back.
RSVP Etiquette for Guests:
When Should You Reply to an RSVP?
It’s always important to reply promptly to a wedding RSVP, as there’s normally a timeline on the invitation or the wedding website within which you are required to accept or decline the invite. They’ll need to know the number of guests coming to plan the caterers, hotel rooms, and cake size. If you choose to decline, it’s best to do so as early as possible, so the couple can invite someone else instead. If there’s no deadline included, then the rule of thumb is to reply as early as possible.
How Do You Fill Out an RSVP with a Printed Card?
When the couple sends out their invitations they may include an RSVP card. If you’re sending individual invitations, details cards, and an RSVP, you’ll need to use a large envelope. For some couples, they may even send an all-in-one wedding invitation. With all-in-one wedding invitations, the envelope is the outside of the invitation and the RSVP card! The all-in-one invitation has the RSVP attached to the invite, your guest can separate them and send it back as a postcard.
When it comes to filling out the RSVP, it’s important to put in all of the details the couple is requesting. Firstly, write down your name so the couple knows who’ll be attending or declining. Secondly, they may ask for a dinner request or dietary requirements. Make sure to put these details in truthfully so they can inform their caterers. Some couples may include a song request line, where you can put any song you want to hear played at the reception.
Note: Send the card back to the couple, and don’t just put it in a drawer. This busy couple won’t have time to chase you and might think that no response means you’re not attending their wedding. Whether you mail it back to them or give it to them in person, ensure they’re kept in the loop!
How Do I Respond Without a Card?
To keep costs down or to be more environmentally friendly, some couples may not include an RSVP card with their invitation. If there’s no card, read the invitation carefully and look out for a wedding website address to visit, a phone number to text, or a QR code you need to scan.
RSVP Etiquette for Hosts:
What Should I Include in the RSVP?
For those who are planning a wedding or event, it may be hard to know what to include in your RSVP card that you’ll send to your guests. You can, of course, include whatever you want to on your RSVP to make it unique to you, but if you’re looking for inspiration, we’ve put together an example of what’s normally included on an RSVP below:
Who:
It’s important to include a space for them to write the names of everyone you have invited. So, add a long line for them to write the names at the beginning. If it’s for a married couple only, you can address it like the example below:
Mr.______& Mrs.________
Accept or Decline:
The purpose of an RSVP is to find out who’ll be attending your event. Somewhere in the acceptance section, allow them to indicate how many people will be attending. It’s always best to know what kind of numbers to expect. If they sadly choose to decline coming to your wedding or event, then make sure there’s a space for them to indicate this.
Dinner Options:
Once the person accepts, they need to then let you know what they’d like to have for dinner. As many people have dietary issues, it’s best to include a section for them to include anything that they may have an intolerance for or allergy to. This will also help you with any dessert options you want to offer.
Pro Tip: A fun addition would be a section where guests can put in a song suggestion or can write a word of advice to the newlyweds!
Don’t worry, because we’ve written an article to help you when it comes to writing a wedding invitation: “Top Tips for Wedding Invitation Wording & Invitation Etiquette!”
RSVPs Might Change Depending on the Event
Now that we’ve shown you what a typical wedding RSVP requires, we’ll explain what’s needed for other occasions next. Every event you host is different, but it’s always important to work out the size of the guest list, no matter what the occasion is. So for events like birthdays (for adults or kids), graduation ceremonies, and Christmas parties, you should include an RSVP of some sort for your guests.
Birthdays:
Birthday RSVPs are very similar to wedding RSVPs; however, the only real difference is you may not be asking the person for their dinner requests. You always include a dietary requirement section if it is needed, however.
Graduation:
Similarly to birthday invitations, you’ll probably not be including dinner on a graduation party RSVP. For this style of event, you may need to request their presence at either the ceremony or the after-party.
Christmas:
During the holiday season, it’s always nice to have your friends and family around for a Christmas party. It could just be having everyone around for drinks, or you might decide to host a more formal dinner. If the party will include a meal, then make sure to ask for any dietary restrictions your loved ones may have.
Shop Officially Licensed Wedding Invitations & RSVP Cards!
An RSVP will always be important to include, whether it’s as a card, a QR code, or a phone number for people to call. Knowing who’s coming to your wedding or event can only give you peace of mind! Whether you’re a guest going to a wedding or a couple getting married, you can now check the RSVP off your list!
Lucy is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork, Ireland. Originally from America, she is now settled in Ireland with her husband and Corgi-mix puppy Dug (yes, like from Disney’s UP!). It’s the simple things in life that matter, so give her a bag of M&M’s and she’s happy. She loves to relax with a good book, cozy up on the couch for a movie, or go to the park for a stroll with the family.
