Photos (above): Printed materials (left): KOESTERdruk - Photographer: LUX Visual Storytellers / Printed materials (right): To Remember
What should you include on your RSVP?
Ask your guests—per part of the day—whether they can attend
The purpose of an RSVP is, first and foremost, for the guest to let you know whether he/she will attend. So be sure to have them confirm their attendance. For example, by ticking ‘yes, I’m coming’ or ‘no, I’m not coming’, and doing so per invited person.
Are plus ones or children invited? Make this clear in your form of address or state it explicitly. Are you leaving it up to your guests to decide? Then include space on the RSVP for them to indicate this or to fill in the name of their plus one.
Are your guests invited to different parts of your wedding day, such as the ceremony, the reception, dinner, and the evening party? Then it’s best to work with different RSVP cards, depending on who is invited to what. Be sure to have your guests indicate whether they will attend all the parts of the day they’re invited to—or not.
Ask your guests for personal information
Your RSVPs are also your chance to ask your guests specific questions! Are there any dietary restrictions (due to allergies, pregnancy, or because they are vegetarian)? The RSVP is the perfect time to find out!
Include your deadline
Above all, you want to receive everyone’s response in time. So be sure to add a date by which they need to reply. Ideally, you send your invitation eight to six weeks before your celebration; two weeks in advance, you should pass on your final headcount to your caterer. So give your guests at least four weeks after receiving the invitation to send you their RSVP.
Where do you request the RSVP information?
Chances are small that you’ll have enough space on the invitation itself for all of this. That’s why many people use a separate RSVP card that they include in the envelope with the invitation. However, such a card can still be too small to fit all your questions. The solution? An online RSVP! That way, you only need to add a link to your invitation. Your guests can find the rest of the information online, where they can send you their RSVP in just a few clicks. Handy, right?!
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Make it easy for yourself and your guests: choose an online RSVP!
