RSVPs or “Répondez s’il vous plaît” for weddings can be a touchy subject. Too many brides have encountered guests who simply fail to RSVP and then turn up on the actual wedding day, throwing the seating arrangements and plan all awry. Some guests confirm their attendance only to pull out at the last minute, leaving the poor bride and groom with excess seating and catering and a whole lot of excess stress! So, why do wedding guests balk at RSVPs and should you include RSVP cards?
Why Wedding Guests Don’t Reply RSVPs?
The act of responding to an RSVP is a very basic social etiquette yet many don’t do it. Some guests may not want to commit to that date in case something else crops up. Others misplace your invitation or keep it and forget to RSVP till the date is past! RSVPs too can sometimes change as a confirmed attendance may suddenly be a non-attendance if something more important crops up for your guest. My personal experience had guests cancelling on the morning of the wedding itself AFTER they had confirmed their attendance!
Tip: Expect most guests not to RSVP and have several back-up plans for any last minute changes.
So what’s the best way to get your guests to confirm? Read on below.
How To Confirm Your Guests Attendance?
It is sad but usually a wedding is only important to the couple and their families. So, in this busy world we live in, one of the best ways to confirm your guests’ attendance is to simply pick up the phone to call them. Wait a few days after your RSVP date has past before you start to allow for any late confirmations. A cheaper way might be to drop them an email or send an online RSVP card. Create a new email address to avoid flooding your usual email box.
Tip: If you have your own wedding website, build in an RSVP section for your guests to simply click “Yes” or “No”.
Should RSVP Cards Be Included With Your Wedding Invitation?
Stamped and self-addressed envelopes are sometimes included in the wedding invitation to make the RSVP process simple and painless for guests. However, with the recent trend of non-RSVPs, you will be better off saving your money and avoid printing additional cards and buying extra stamps. Instead, incorporate your RSVP in your wedding invitation itself.
Tip: Ensure you clearly print the RSVP notice with the RSVP deadlines in your card. A tiny RSVP notice at the bottom corner is likely to be missed!
If you are a wedding guest, please do RSVP! You will save the bridal couple lots of unnecessary stress and worry over their guest list!
Photo credits: The Knot
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One very important thing that most will overlook, and I think you did the same is that most guests may not know the meaning of RSVP.
Based on personal experience, I only know the actual meaning of RSVP very late. Before this, I used to just ignore the statement.
At times, the print for the RSVP statement were smaller than other lines, giving the impression it is not “so” important.
My cent’s worth…
Hi Just A Guy – Thanks for your thoughts.
As highlighted in my post, it is indeed important to ensure that the RSVP on your cards are clear enough for your guests to notice.