What Is Proper Etiquette For Wedding RSVP?

The vast majority of people have no idea how to properly respond to invitations. What follows is a comprehensive guide to the art of the wedding RSVP card.

Sending out wedding invitations involves more than just writing a card and dropping it in the mail.

When planning a wedding, one of the most important things to consider is the information you want to include in your invitations for your guests (as does your wedding website, which can house all essential details like your venue info, registry, and guest list).

There are, however, a few things to consider when you plan your wedding and send out invites and save-the-dates.

Questions About RSVP

What Does RSVP Stand For?

Please answer is the literal translation of a French phrase "Répondez s'il Vous plaît," from which the acronym "RSVP" is created.

When responding to the a wedding invitation, guests indicate whether they will be attending the event or not.

By asking for and keeping tabs on RSVPs, the happy couple can determine how many people will be attending and use that information to finalise details like the quantity of plates and chairs needed, the guest list, and the seating arrangements.

Confirming specifics like meal choices, dietary restrictions, and additional guests can also be accomplished with an RSVP request.

What Should Be Included On A Wedding RSVP Card

The following details must be included on your wedding RSVP card:

The blank line for guests to write their names on.

Here, your guests can list themselves and any other guests (spouse, date, or kids) who will be joining them at the wedding.

This data will be used to finalise the guest list and make seating cards.

The RSVP response deadline.

Set it between three and four weeks prior to the wedding. This is the line where you say that you intend to show up.

This phrase is a short and simple way of saying "Yes, I will join your wedding." Your final guest list additions will consist of these folks.

And to "unable to attend" explanation.

Despite the bad news, you can use this to your advantage by inviting fewer people to your wedding and saving money. (Some sort of unexpected good thing?)

Entrée selection.

For wedding receptions that include a meal selection, the entrée options should be listed on the answer cards.

What Should Not Be In A Wedding Response Card?

Details on the registry, if available. Never put a registration address just on wedding invitation or the RSVP card.

When Should Our Wedding Invites Be Sent?

In the past, invitations have been sent out between six and eight weeks well before ceremony.

For those who aren't local, that's plenty of time to clean their calendars and organise transportation.

If the wedding is at a faraway location, invitees should be informed three months in advance.

Guests can mark the wedding day on their calendars with the help of a save-the-date card, which most couples send out before obtaining into the finer arrangements.

Sending out save-the-dates is customary between six and eight months prior to the wedding.

When Should The RSVP Deadline Be Set?

Set the RSVP date between two and three weeks before the wedding so you can have a finalised headcount to a caterer a week before the big day and finish up the seating chart.

Call any guests who haven't answered by the specified time to remind them to send in their RSVPs (by mail) to ensure an accurate headcount.

Where Should We Place Details Regarding Our Wedding Website?

Your save-the-date card should provide a link to your wedding website. Inserting the website address into the formal invites is an option if you don't want to send out separate save-the-date cards (a small card that informs guests they can find more details online).

Should We Include Information About Our Registry On Our Invites Or Save The Dates?

Not including your wedding registry information on your invites or save-the-dates is rude because it appears to be asking for money rather than a present. Looking for the Best Wedding Venue in Melbourne? Vogue Ballroom is Melbourne's Iconic.

However, feel free to include a direct link to your registry on the wedding website. You can inform your guests of your register details and have them send you gifts directly from the registry.

Also, feel free to let your parents and good friends know where you're registered so that they can inform your guests.

We're Having A Wedding For Adults Only (No Kids). How Can We Ensure That Our Guests Understand This?

Invitees should know they are only invited if the invitation is addressed to them personally, not to "and guest."

If you get responses that include children's names, phone those people and apologise, saying you have had an adults-only wedding but hope their children can still attend.

You might want to think about getting a babysitter if you have a large brood of kids.

The act is not expected but appreciated. Put this on the wedding webpage.

How Do We Inform Guests About Our Dress Code?

Putting a proper attire in the invitation's bottom right corner or even on a wedding card is the most discreet approach to get your idea through. You can use the terms "black tie," "cocktail wear," or "casual attire" interchangeably. (We promise, the heads-up will be appreciated by your guests).

Guests may also be able to deduce something from the design of your invitations.

To provide one extreme example, an invitation with letterpress and handwriting would give attendees a hint as to the event's formality, while an invitation with a whimsical typeface and bright colours might match a much more informal approach.

You might also send people to a wedding registry, where you may provide more relaxed details about the weekend's activities and attire.

Is It Necessary To Invite Every Attendee Who Has A Date Or A "Plus-One"?

The short answer is no, you need not. It's fine to invite a guest who isn't married or even in a committed relationship.

The vast majority of invitees will realise that they cannot bring a plus one if neither "and Guest" nor another name appears on the invitation. However, it's customary to invite everyone who might possibly show up, and that can get pricey, fast ( in terms of both headcount and cost).

Call the guest and explain that you're being careful with the guest list but they RSVPed for two. You were unable to invite everyone who expressed interest because of the limited space.

Recognizing that most guests will be accompanied by a date, you may want to consider inviting those you know who will be attending alone with an invitation for a plus one.

Not sure how you want your wedding stationery to look? Check out our list of 28 Wedding Invitation Ideas to help you choose.

On Wedding Invitations, Where Do You Place The Return Address?

Your return address should be printed on the envelope's back flap.

It's also important that the return address match the one you've chosen to receive the response cards, whether it's your parents or yourself (traditionally, whoever is hosting the wedding handles response cards).

This address must also be printed on the RSVP envelope (including postage).

Is It Acceptable To Invite People To The Ceremony Just If Our Wedding Reception Is Only For Immediate Family?

The current predicament is complex. Everyone who is invited to the wedding (or the bridal shower, engagement party, or wedding reception) ought to be invited to the reception itself, as is customary in many cultures.

If you only invite people to the ceremony but not the reception, it may seem like you want people there for the ceremony but wouldn't want to spend for their meal or don't want them there just to celebrate your marriage.

Wedding RSVP Suggestions

Getting a head count for the invite list is the primary priority in terms to responses. However, despite your best efforts, there will inevitably be at least a couple of no-shows at the RSVP.

You will have lots to do in the days and weeks before the wedding as you organise the seating chart.

In order to properly prepare for the event, you and the venue's caterers must have an accurate headcount. Something going wrong is the very least of your worries.

Make a guest list.

The minimum amount of time for sending out RSVP cards for a wedding is six weeks. Invitations need to be sent out at least eight weeks even before reception.

Sending out Save-the-Date reminders to guests should have happened far sooner.

If you have a list of attendees from sending out Save the Date announcements, that's excellent! Making an RSVP invitation list shouldn't be that difficult.

There's a good reason for this (stay tuned), but you should probably assign numbers to each attendee's name on the guest list. To keep track of everybody you've invited and who has responded, create a copy of the document.

Keep track of where everyone is. Your list of invitees may include some people who live in far-flung locations. Your guests need plenty of notice to make travel arrangements that will allow them to attend your wedding.

It's important to maintain uniformity in your invitation and RSVP processes. If you mailed out Save-the-Date announcements, it's only appropriate to send RSVP invites in the same fashion.

It is customary for brides to send out invitations and request responses by regular mail. Today, however, a growing number of future brides choose to have guests respond to invitations by electronic mail.

In the case of a wedding reception, it is best to keep the responses to the RSVPs brief regardless of the method of transmission.

RSVP Reply Date Confirmation

It's important to set and confirm a response date before sending out wedding invites.

RSVPs are required no later than two weeks well before party. However, the due dates for RSVPs might differ widely depending on a number of factors...

Confirm the RSVP response date with the site coordinators and caterers. They require an accurate headcount by a certain date in order to properly prepare for the event.

The final headcount will also be useful for the florist and cake decorator. It is helpful to provide florists a rough layout of the venue. Whoever is in charge of dessert for your gathering needs to make sure there's plenty for everyone.

You should also give yourself plenty of time to respond to the RSVP. If you want to do things like give out party favours, you'll need to know how many people are coming.

If you are having a destination wedding, the RSVP card should be sent out to guests at least two to three months in advance.

Rsvp Cards Should Be Coordinated With The Wedding Theme.

Making wedding RSVP cards is a lot of fun.

Make sure the RSVP cards match the wedding's theme and colour palette. That way, customers will remember your brand's colours and aesthetic.

Wedding date reminders can be as simple as a consistent colour palette! Too busy with life to really plan your wedding in detail? Have someone else do it for you and check out our list of Wedding Planners in Melbourne to help take the stress away.

In most places, weddings peak in the summer. In the summer, there are many other weddings that your guests could be attending.

You may easily achieve a colour scheme for your RSVP cards & envelopes by using a wedding stationery set. Numerous websites offer wedding invitations and other related stationery. They will assist you with personalising invitations, reply cards, and envelopes.

What Should Your Wedding RSVP Card Contain?

A larger percentage of guests, contrary to expectations, fail to respond to invitations requesting an RSVP. The acronym RSVP is unknown to some. If you've forgotten, "RSVP" is an abbreviation for "Reply if you please" in French. It means "Please respond" in English.

• Make sure that everyone knows how important the RSVP is. This is a crucial step that so many women skip.
• Be sure to emphasise the need of an RSVP in large font. Put it in bold. Modify the font to your liking. Surround it with some sort of pattern. Include the original French sentence from which it was translated.
• Those who have been asked to attend must be aware of the time and date. Next, you should stress the significance of the ceremony's date and time.
• There ought to be a "accept" or "reject" button. Classically, this is done via checkboxes.
• To simplify things, you may ask guests to choose their prefered entree when they respond to the invitation. It will save time and effort by reducing the need for recipients to make multiple trips to the post office.
• Don't forget to specify a dress code, instructions, and parking options.
• It's also polite to provide your contact information (phone and email) on the RSVP card.

Addressing RSVP Cards

Guests are customarily addressed as "Mr.," "Mrs.," or "Ms." at a wedding. People are less stuffy these days. All of the guests' names are included in the invitations to the wedding. You are free to address the RSVP card and envelope anyway you like.

You can start with an empty line and the letter "M" if you want a more formal style. This gives your guests the freedom to choose how they want to fill the queue. Assuming one is free to invite anybody they like to a wedding is a widespread practise. Specify this on the reply card so there is no misunderstanding or embarrassment.

Guests of all ages should be accommodated by providing a different line for families should record their group size.

RSVP Envelopes With Pre-Stamps

Do you wish to leave your guests with a sophisticated and memorable impression? Get the RSVP envelopes pre-stamped!

For the convenience of your invitees, we have pre-affixed postage to the reply envelopes. Instead of searching for stamps, just toss the envelope in the mailbox.

Your guests will appreciate not having to worry about buying stamps for their reply envelopes if you do it ahead of time. If you write or print your address just on envelope, it will save the sender a step.

Keep Track Of Your RSVPs

One day, every bride will receive an RSVP that is either blank or illegible. Just before you start to panic, there is a simple solution for keeping track of the responses to your invitations.

If you recall from Step 1, we suggested numbering your guest list. In fact, you're going to find out how useful it is.

All of the guests need to be assigned a certain number. A small number written inconspicuously on the RSVP card will help you avoid confusion.

The failure to complete required fields is not uncommon. To quickly find the rightful owner of an RSVP card, use a numbering system.

When Guests Do Not RSVP

guests often misinterpret the instructions or don't respond to the invitation at all. Unfortunately, they don't always remember to turn them in after they've been filled out.

Don't let this occurrence make you a bridezilla before you grasp the proper etiquette for dealing with invitee who keeps forgetting to just let you know whether they're coming or not...

Allow guests some time after the RSVP deadline to respond. Typically, it should be within a week of the requested response date.

After the grace time has passed, you may contact those on your invite list who have not yet responded.

The courtesy is appreciated. Justify your silence by explaining that you're working on your guest list or trying to notify the venue or caterers. Try not to come out as frustrated or annoyed.

Things might get lost in transit, people can forget to send things, and deadlines can be missed. The invitee will appreciate your effort to contact them even if they don't react to your RSVP in time.

Other Wedding RSVP Suggestions

The protocol for sending a response to a wedding invitation is simple. Want some more advice on how to improve your RSVP invitations? Here's a few more examples:

• Your RSVPs should be sent to whoever is in charge of creating your seating map. Be sure this address is which was before on the envelope, either by yourself, your maid of honour, you mother, or your wedding planner.
• Pre-stamping the RSVP envelopes using the same stamp as the Save-the-Date is a nice touch. It's not much, but sometimes it's the simple things that make people remember.
• Don't put the details of your wedding registry on the RSVP card. You can use the bridal shower invites to spread the word about your wedding registry.
• You should include a note-to-host area on the RSVP card. In this way, they can inform you of any dietary restrictions or other particular needs. Having loved ones write you notes in anticipation of the big day might also make you feel more joyful about it.

Conclusion

Most people have no idea how to properly respond to wedding invitations, so we've put together a comprehensive guide to the art of the wedding RSVP card. RSVP stands for Request Rendez-Vous S'il Vous Plaît, which is a literal translation of the French phrase "Répondez-vous?". Details on the registry, if available, will be used to finalise the guest list and make seating cards. For wedding receptions that include a meal selection, the entrée options should be listed on the answer cards. The RSVP date should be between two and three weeks before the wedding so you can have a headcount to a caterer a week before the big day.

Content Summary: 

• The vast majority of people have no idea how to properly respond to invitations.
• What follows is a comprehensive guide to the art of the wedding RSVP card.
• Sending out wedding invitations involves more than just writing a card and dropping it in the mail.
• When planning a wedding, one of the most important things to consider is the information you want to include in your invitations for your guests (as does your wedding website, which can house all essential details like your venue info, registry, and guest list).
• There are, however, a few things to consider when you plan your wedding and send out invites and save-the-dates.
• What Does RSVP Stand For?
• Please answer is the literal translation of a French phrase "Répondez s'il Vous plaît," from which the acronym "RSVP" is created.
• When responding to the a wedding invitation, guests indicate whether they will be attending the event or not.
• By asking for and keeping tabs on RSVPs, the happy couple can determine how many people will be attending and use that information to finalise details like the quantity of plates and chairs needed, the guest list, and the seating arrangements.
• Confirming specifics like meal choices, dietary restrictions, and additional guests can also be accomplished with an RSVP request.
• What Should Be Included On A Wedding RSVP Card?
• The following details must be included on your wedding RSVP card: The blank line for guests to write their names on.
• Here, your guests can list themselves and any other guests (spouse, date, or kids) who will be joining them at the wedding.
• This data will be used to finalise the guest list and make seating cards.
• Set it between three and four weeks prior to the wedding.
• This is the line where you say that you intend to show up.
• Looking for the Best Wedding Venue in Melbourne?
• Vogue Ballroom is Melbourne's Iconic.
• This phrase is a short and simple way of saying "Yes, I will join your wedding."
• Your final guest list additions will consist of these folks.
• Despite the bad news, you can use this to your advantage by inviting fewer people to your wedding and saving money. 
• For wedding receptions that include a meal selection, the entrée options should be listed on the answer cards.
• What Should Not Be In A Wedding Response Card?
• Details on the registry, if available.
• Never put a registration address just on wedding invitation or the RSVP card.
• When Should Our Wedding Invites Be Sent?
• In the past, invitations have been sent out between six and eight weeks well before ceremony.
• For those who aren't local, that's plenty of time to clean their calendars and organise transportation.
• If the wedding is at a faraway location, invitees should be informed three months in advance.
• Guests can mark the wedding day on their calendars with the help of a save-the-date card, which most couples send out before obtaining into the finer arrangements.
• Sending out save-the-dates is customary between six and eight months prior to the wedding.
• When Should The RSVP Deadline Be Set?
• Set the RSVP date between two and three weeks before the wedding so you can have a finalised headcount to a caterer a week before the big day and finish up the seating chart.