Where Do You Start When Trying To Figure Out How Many People Can Actually Attend
My wedding invites had space for up to five people per household, including two adults and three youngsters. We needed to be flexible because we know that not everyone in the family would be able to make it to the wedding. Our line read “___ # of guests attending out of ____,” rather than “delightfully accept” with a tick next to it. By including this option, we were able to specify the number of invited family members and receive an accurate headcount once visitors responded with their attendance. An RSVP card I received and sent back is shown here as an example. Note: We retained all the RSVP cards because many of them had heartfelt messages from our guests.
Wedding Rsvp Card Goals
A well-crafted RSVP card should accomplish the following:
No It’s Not For Maybe
Congratulations! You’ve been invited to a wedding. I’ve you’ve ever been a bride or groom yourself you know how important it is for guests to mind their manners when it comes to response cards.
Response cards tally the number of guests and accepted invitations so the bride and groom know the exact number of guests to expect. When planning a wedding, knowing the number of people attending can influence many decisions, so it’s essential to fill out your response cards as early as possible and, perhaps more importantly, to fill out the card correctly.
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A Schedule For Sending Wedding Invitation Response Cards
When is the best time for the host to send out wedding invitations and responses? There were just eight weeks until the wedding.
Official wedding invitations are often sent out between six and eight weeks before the big day, accompanied by a postcard or card for guests to respond with their availability.
How soon before the wedding should guests respond to the RSVP? About three to four weeks before to the ceremony.
Can you imagine without including an RSVP card in a wedding invitation? If your wedding is just a ceremony, there is no need to send out invitations.
When sending out your response cards, make sure to follow this checklist.
About Our Wedding Rsvp Cards
Wedding response cards are an essential part of the entire wedding invitation packet. Our special suite of wedding communications makes it easy for you to find a style you like for your wedding invitations and carry that theme right through your RSVP cards as well. Our custom photo wedding invites and RSVP cards feature premium papers and cardstocks that look as lovely as they feel, giving your invitations a touch of true luxury. Crisp, sharp printing leaves your text and images crystal clear and beautiful no matter what design you choose.
Consider special touches for your RSVP cards, such as a glitter border, unique paper finishes, and more. Give your guests a glimpse of you and your sweetheart with beautiful photo response cards as a wedding day prelude. Take some time to browse the professionally designed RSVP card templates on our website to get a little insight for your own wedding reply cards. Try entering your details on one of your favorite styles to get an idea of how your RSVP cards could look once completed and printed. Like the rest of your wedding stationery, your reply cards embrace the relationship you have as a couple and share that beautiful emotion with your guests. Be sure to choose a design that speaks to your unique and loving bond.
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When Do You Send Out Online Wedding Invitations
Wedding planning is filled with deadlines to meet before your big day, but the most important is when to send out your wedding invitations. Every wedding timeline is unique, but for most weddings, couples send out their wedding invitations eight to ten weeks before the wedding day. If you’re planning a destination wedding or a celebration requiring significant travel from your guests, consider sending your invitations 12 to 14 weeks in advance. This might seem like a long time, but most guests don’t start thinking seriously about the ceremony until they receive the invitation. So, make it official and invite them early.
Don’t worry if time has eluded you. We can help you make up for a few lost days. That’s the beauty of sending online wedding invitestime is on your side. Online wedding invitation delivery takes mere minutes to complete after youve completed your invitation design. So no matter the date, your guests will know about your big day instantly.
How To Handle Missing Or Extra Rsvps
The first important obligation a guest has upon receiving a wedding invitation is to respond immediately. If your invited friends and family didn’t complete this simple task, you’ll need to get on the telephone and politely ask these guests if they plan to attend. Heres how to handle RSVPs with uninvited guests.
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Inviting An Ex To The Wedding
Generally it’s not a good idea to invite exes. Doing so has the potential to make the bride or groom feel uncomfortable relatives and other guests might be distracted by it too. Talk to your fiancé about how you feel. Assure them that you are not opposed to his friendship with his ex but just don’t want the reminder of their past relationship at your wedding. They should respect your wishes. Here’s when it is alright to invite an ex to the wedding.
How Much Should You Spend On Wedding Invitations
Your wedding invitation budget is entirely personal and depends on several different factors, including stationery material, details, and designs, which can all factor into the final price. At Truly Engaging, you can find a wide variety of wedding invitations that suit your unique style and personal tastes, everything from art deco to rustic at prices that fit your budget. Use our wedding budget calculator to organize your budget.
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How To Word Wedding Rsvp Cards
Although they dont involve nearly as much information as the invitation itself, you should think carefully about your RSVP card wording to make the process as clear and simple as possible for guests. Since the attendance line is perhaps the easiest place to personalize your RSVP card language, here are some name and attendance line wording examples based on formality.
Formal
___ Sorry, wish I could be there
Name: ___________________________________
___ Sorry, cant make it
Whimsical
___ Let the good times roll!
___ Sad to miss all the fun
Name: ___________________________________
___ Free booze? Count me in!
___ Sitting this one out
How To Indicate Your Food Choice
If the response card includes food choices, place the attendees initials next to their food choice. Its important to indicate each persons initials next to their food choice because the bride and groom will use these responses to gather how many of each entrée the caterer will need to prepare.
Featured product: Blossoming Respond Card
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Traditional Wording For Your Rsvp Cards
If you are hosting a traditional wedding then your RSVP card wording should also be in a traditional style. Along with your wedding invitations, your RSVP cards are a glimpse at the tone of your wedding day, so traditional RSVP card wording will let your guests know to expect a classic wedding. Traditional RSVP card wording is formal and uses classical response options. If you are struggling to give your RSVP cards a more traditional feel, then take a look at our RSVP card wording examples below.
RSVP
Where Can I Find The Meaning Of The Terms Used On Invitation Cards
The French phrase “répondez, s’il vous plaît” is the inspiration for the four letters that make up the acronym RSVP, which is used on invitations. Please react if you can by saying “Répondez, s’il vous plaît” in French. This shortened form of “signal for a sought reaction from guests” now exists in English.
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Guidelines For Filling Out A Wedding Response Card
An appropriate wedding RSVP card should include the following details:
- This section is left blank so that guests can sign in. Guests will use this line to list themselves and any additional guests who will be joining them at your wedding. This data will be used to finalise your guest list and make table place cards.
- Date by which an answer to the invitation to dinner must be received. You should pick a date that is three to four weeks before the wedding.
- The sentence that says you plan to show up. This phrase’s brevity and flexibility make it appropriate for a wide range of situations requiring a straightforward “Yes, I will attend your wedding” response. All that’s left to do is add these persons to your guest list.
- This is the “I’m sorry, but I can’t make it” excuse. Despite the bad news, you can use this to your advantage by inviting fewer people to your wedding and saving money. What a blessing!
- Main course options. If the wedding reception will be serving a meal, the entrée options should be listed on the answer card.
Incorrect information on a wedding reply card. Data pertaining to the registration. Neither the primary invitation nor the RSVP card should contain registry information.
Make The Rsvp Date Prominent
Some invitees either don’t take the reply date seriously or mistakenly believe that they only need to respond if they plan on attending the event. Include a visible date for responses on the card.
- The phrase “the favour of a reply is asked by May 6” can be used as part of a formal invitation.
- Informal invitations can use the wording “Kindly react by May 6” or “Please reply by May 6.”
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What Customers Are Saying
“Mixbook is one of the only companies that allows you to design your own card completely, starting with a blank card. Price, speed of delivery and quality were great.”Cynthia V. January 17, 2018
“Made my bridal shower invites , my wedding invites, RSVPs and direction cards, all for under $200 with coupons. AWESOME. They looked great, were easy to deal with, fast shipping.” “Amber, 2/5/12
“Best cards for anything! I love this creative way to customize your cards how you want them and they are very cheap but great quality! I only want the best :)” “Candice J. February 13th, 2018
“I love the flexibility they provide to customize their products. The site is easy to use, production is always fast, the end product high quality and most importantly the prices are reasonable. I’ve used them for years now and highly recommend them!” Kai K. March 11, 2018
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To What Date Should I Set The Respond By Field
The “kindly reply by” date should be at least one month before the wedding so that you may have an accurate headcount of guests in plenty of time. About two weeks before the wedding, a final guest count is typically required by the venue, planner, caterer, etc. There will be two weeks of leeway for visitors to respond or for unexpected circumstances to arise. Some of my pals had first said they couldn’t make it, but they ended up getting time off work and flying in for the wedding. Including them on my “yes” list was a breeze, and I didn’t have to worry too much about making any last-minute adjustments.
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Rsvp Return Envelope Wording Examples
You’ll need to include a pre-addressed envelope with each RSVP card so your guests can easily send them back to you. The envelopes for your RSVP cards should include your name and address on the front . It’s also customary to include a stamp on each envelope so your guests don’t need to pay for postage.
Give A Clear Deadline
When youve sent the cards out, its a waiting game. To save yourself any stress, give a clear deadline. My recommendation is to set it one month prior to the wedding date, says Ring. Many vendors require order details to be finalized four weeks before the wedding. Having your RSVPs back by then can make the process smooth and accurate.
Whats more, if youre planning on tying the knot far away, you need to allow some extra time. For destination weddings, where invites are sent a bit earlier, the RSVP date can be around two months before the date, allowing guests to iron out their travel details.
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When Should The Rsvp Deadline Be For A Wedding
Your wedding RSVP deadline should generally be about 4-6 weeks before the event. You’ll want to check with your wedding caterer and/or venue as well for their requirements on when they need the final head count. Give yourself about a week of lead time between your printed RSVP date on the invitation and the date when you give the venue your final guest count. This allows you to tie up any loose ends and track down anyone that may not have responded.
How Do You Fill Out A Response Card Why Is There An M On It
Before you complete the response card, first determine who has actually been invited to the wedding. To do this, check the inner envelope, as it will list the names of all invited guests. For instance, the outer envelope may only have listed your name, “Miss Elly May Clampett,” but the inner envelope may say, “Elly May and Guest.” That’s how you know you’re responding for two guests, rather than one. Same goes for families: The outer envelope might only say “Mr. and Mrs. Ladd Drummond,” but if the kids have been included too, the inner envelope will tip you off, as it will say, “Ladd and Ree, Alex, Paige, Bryce and Todd.” If there is no inner envelope, let the outer envelope be your guide, and don’t make any assumptions.
Many response cards will include an “M” followed immediately by a line. In keeping with more formal wedding tradition, the line is here as a way to kickstart your reply. The “M” stands for the first letter of the title you prefer to go by, be it Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss. Of course, you may have guests that are “The Honorable” or “Dr.,” but the response card levels the playing field on the salutation front, and they’ll have to use the old “M” like everybody else.
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Weve Compiled A Comprehensive Checklist For Your Weddings Rsvp Cards
- Determine the overall style for the big day. Along with the main invitation and any inclosure cards that are necessary, the RSVP wedding card is a part of the wedding stationery package. Therefore, engaged couples select invitation and reply card sets that coordinate with the style of the wedding.
- Get your guest list finalised. You can’t send out invitations until you have a final guest list. It’s important to keep in mind that you won’t need RSVP cards for a wedding that consists solely of the ceremony.
- Make sure the supper menu for the reception is set. Menu options for wedding reception dinner might be included on the RSVP card. You’ll need to finalise your wedding day menu and hire a caterer before you can add this detail to your card.
- Set a date by which people can respond to your invitation: If you want guests to RSVP by a certain date, tell them it must be three to four weeks before the wedding.
- Pick out the wedding invitations and paper goods. With a completed guest list and design concept in hand, you can go shopping for wedding stationery that perfectly captures your one-of-a-kind wedding day vision.
Not sure how you want your wedding stationery to look? Check out our list of 28 Wedding Invitation Ideas to help you choose.
What Are The Best Wedding Invitations Sizes
At Truly Engaging, we offer a wide variety of wedding invitation shapes and sizes. We believe it’s important to pick the design that fits your needs and desires. That being said, there is not a single \”best\” design, but an endless selection of items to look through and consider. Contact us for help with customizing your wedding invitations for your big day.
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Event Planner Secret Number Your Rsvp Cards
Your friends and family will be so happy and excited when they receive your wedding invitation. Why? Because they love you and they cannot wait until your big day!
But, in their excitement, some of your wedding guests may forget to legibly write down their name on your RSVP card. Some of them may even forget to include their names at all!! Ugh! Now, you will have the fun task of guessing who returned their RSVP card to you. Good times!
To avoid this issue, we recommend taking the following steps BEFORE you stuff and mail your wedding invitations
Now, if a wedding guest forgets to write his or her name on the RSVP card, youll be able to identify that guest by matching the number on the back of the card with the corresponding number on your guest list.
I would like to reiterate that the numbers on the back of the card should be small and discreet. Some of your very attentive wedding guests may see the number on the back of the card and wonder if it is a reflection of their importance. If a guest asks you what the number on the back of their card means, you can assure them the cards are numbered to keep you organized and it is no reflection of guest priority.
Love & Soul Always, Kay
