RSVP. You’ve seen these four little letters before, but what does RSVP mean on an invitation card? In this blog post, we’ll tell you what it stands for so you can use it properly in your wedding response cards. We’ll also explain what kind of RSVP cards are available, how to respond to an rsvp, and digital online RSVPs for weddings in this modern era. Guests will love it – and so will you, too. Let’s get started!
What is RSVP?
You’ve seen RSVP on birthday party, anniversary, and wedding invitations, so what do those four little letters really mean?
Definition of RSVP on an Invitation Card
The letters stand for a French phrase, “Répondez s’il vous plaît“, which translates to English as, “Respond, if you please.”
That’s the most polite way of asking guests to inform the host know if they can or cannot attend the event. Today, those letters on an invitation may refer more to, “Respond ASAP and Please Don’t Arrive At The Wedding Without Telling Us You’re Coming”. :)
Not all invitations will list the letters, but in reality, an invitation wants to confirm your attendance to the event to plan ahead for food, drinks, etc. Here are other ways to ask guests to respond without the acronym.
Other Ways to List RSVP
You may see similar monikers in place of RSVP on wedding invitations, such as:
• “Please reply”
• “Kindly reply by XX”
• “The favor of a reply is requested by XX”
Here are two examples of alternates:
If you want to go with a simple RSVP, that works! It’s the most traditional way to word it on your wedding invites.
Why RSVP Is Important
Do you really have to include RSVP for your guests? Yes, especially when it is for a wedding. RSVP has major significance in event planning for these five main reasons:
• food
• drinks
• favors
• cake
• seating arrangements
Having all of the RSVPs come back to you with responses is essential to confirm the number of guests at a wedding. With an event so large – and expensive – it’s helpful to know ahead of time how much food and drinks you’ll need. Since the caterer needs a final head count two weeks prior to the wedding, your RSVP date should be set to this timeframe to allow time for last-minute responses to come in.
PRO TIP: Here’s How Much Time Guests Should Have to RSVP with expert advice.
If your guests don’t respond to an RSVP, you have no idea if they’re attending. And yes, sometimes guests really do just show up at a wedding without sending in an RSVP, so that can be an unexpected plot twist. ;) Where will they sit? What meal do they expect to have, after not replying? It can throw a wrench into your plans, and I don’t want that to happen to you. Guests need to know how to RSVP, so here’s some info on that.
How to Respond to an RSVP
An RSVP card traditionally looks like this:
It should be paired with a small envelope, pre-addressed with postage already added to it. Here is one example to show you the RSVP card with envelope as a part of the invitation assembly:
Now, let’s talk about how to properly fill out an RSVP card. Some people are experts, while others have no idea where to start. No worries – we’re here to help!
How to Fill Out an RSVP Card
On the RSVP card, simply write your name(s) on the line, the number of attendees, and whether you are responding yes or no. If there is a space for an entree selection, put your initials next to the entree for each guest. Many people accidentally put an “x” on the entree(s) selected. If you do this, the host won’t be able to tell which one of you chose that particular dish over the others.
On RSVP, what does the M mean?
Ah, this is a popular question: what does that m mean with a line?
► If the line has an M⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯, you’ll write your name(s) out formally: “Mr/Mrs Smith” or “Miss Smith” or “Ms. Smith” or “Mr. Smith” etc.
That’s it! Then put the card inside the envelope and place in a mailbox.
Digital RSVP Online for Weddings
If your card requires an online response, this means you won’t send anything back in the mail. Instead, you’ll visit the couple’s wedding website.
Look for a link or QR code on the RSVP card. It will look something like this:
Scan the QR code with your smartphone or go to the website link in your mobile browser. Find the link for “RSVP”, click on it, and then follow the instructions. Typically it asks you to type in your name(s) and “yes” or “no”, along with your entree option. Then submit your response. That’s it! The host of the event receives your responses immediately.
Common Misconceptions about RSVP
Some guests believe an RSVP is optional, however, it is mandatory unless it states, “regrets only”. Regrets only means if you cannot attend, please let us know. However, wedding invitations typically don’t do this because you run the risk of people forgetting to respond, and then you assume they will be in attendance – but they never show.
It is best to do a standard RSVP by mail or online digitally and ask guests to confirm a simple yes or no. It makes things less stressful for everyone!
Now that you know more about RSVPs, what RSVP means, and how it gives you an accurate headcount, let’s move on to the next article: how to reserve seats at the wedding.
P.S. If you need more tips on RSVP cards, designs, and customizable options, visit Minted’s RSVP cards collection here where we spotted these beautiful RSVP cards in today’s post! Click here to shop.
Hope it helps!
xo
Emma
