Is It Rude To Only Go To The Wedding Reception
Yes, THAT IS RUDE. IF the invitation is only to the reception, then and only then, it is perfectly acceptable to only attend the reception. IF the bride is informed ahead of time, that you just cant get away from work to attend the wedding, BUT you will be free later to attend the reception, THAT is the exception.
What Do I Write After The M On The Rsvp Card
Its time to fill out the RSVP card! Remember – only the names of those attending the wedding should appear on this line. Its important to list first and last names as clearly as possible so the couple can easily read who has responded.
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If there is a blank space for you to fill out how many people will be attending, be sure to fill this out too.
For a husband and wife, tradition will tell you to lead with the husbands title and you would use his first and last name: M_ r. and Mrs. Joseph Andersen
We understand this seems like a slightly antiquated practice but such is tradition. If youd like to throw tradition out the window, simply fill out your wedding RSVP in a way that makes you and your partner most comfortable.
For a same-sex couple, formatting is the same: M_ r. and Mr. Jameson Fillmore
This is also how you would fill it out as an unmarried couple, except the woman would use Ms. or Miss as her title. Whats the difference between Ms. and Miss? Miss refers to an unmarried woman but Ms. can refer to a married or unmarried woman:
M_ iss Marissa Porte and Mr. Henry Satre
If you need to add children, you may write their first names, if theres room. You can also indicate that youre bringing children on the space that asks you to write in your number of attendees.
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And remember the golden rule of wedding inviting if you didnt send your RSVP card back, do not attend the wedding.
Unique Rsvp Wording Ideas To Impress Guests
An RSVP card that stands out from the pack is one of the easiest ways to drum up excitement for your event. You will be surprised at the number of maybes or outright Nos you can turn into a yes or hell yes with a uniquely worded invitation. The bad news? You are probably not sure what to say. The good news? Weve got a few RSVP wording ideas for you to try.
- Accept: Yes! We are SO there / Cant commit, but Ill probably show up anyway!
- Sorry! Cant make it
- Accept: Got my dancing shoes
- Oops, my dance card is full
- Accept: Excitedly Attend / Unexcitedly Attend
- Sorrowfully Decline / Excitedly Decline
- Accept: Deal me in
Acknowledging an RSVP response is not common, especially if you have sent out tens and hundreds of invitations it is generally considered stressful and unnecessary. Nevertheless, if there is an issue with individual responses, it makes sense for you to reach out for proper clarification.
However, if you have sent out a small pool of invites, perhaps for intimate events like a baby shower or wedding anniversary, then you could send out responses in acknowledgement. Considering this is likely to involve close friends and family, feel free to be casual and informal. Here are a few wording ideas you can use to acknowledge an RSVP response.
Read Also: When To Send Out Wedding Save The Dates
Basic Template For Wedding Rsvp Card Wording
Writing an RSVP card is not rocket science, but there is a standard formatincluding a few odd formalitiesthat is helpful to understand. Below weve outlined a basic RSVP card template, followed by an explanation of each of the standard components.
___________ of will attend
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.
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Read Also: What To Look For In A Wedding Venue
How To Word Your Wedding Rsvp Card
The second most important card for any wedding invite suite is the response or RSVP card. Knowing what information you need to collect from your guests is the best way to decide how to word your RSVP insert. Some info you may need to collect is: total head count, entree choices of each guest, dietary restrictions, etc. Mix and match from the suggestions below to create the perfect RSVP card for your wedding!
RSVP Card Options
Details Cards You Probably Don’t Need
Attire Cards
If your wedding venue requires a strict dress code other than simply black-tie or cocktail attire, you may wish to include an attire card. This is especially important in the case where couples are married on military bases and a strict dress code is required for admittance.
What to Include: Brief attire suggestions, such as lawn-appropriate shoes or beach-casual.
What Not to Include: A long list of what they should not wear or too many attire suggestions. Keep it short and sweet by including only necessary details.
Ways to Save: You can skip this card by including all details on your wedding website. You may also notate black-tie or cocktail attire in the lower right hand corner of your invitation.
Registry Inserts
Traditional wedding etiquette states that you do not include wedding registry details on any of your wedding stationery. However, many brides may consider it necessary to share this information with loved ones, and for the most part, I agreethis insert can be especially useful for long-distance family and friends.
What to Include: Only list 2-3 stores that you are registered at.
What Not to Include: Any other information outside of your registry details, such as asking for monetary gifts or certain items off your registry.
Ways to Save: Skip this card and include wedding registry details on your website.
Recommended Reading: What To Wear To An Evening Beach Wedding
Funny Wedding Card Messages
If you think a funny wedding card message will put a smile on the bride and grooms faces then go ahead and write something laugh-worthy. Just proceed with caution, you dont want your wedding message to come off as sarcastic or insincere. Remember that a sentiment that may easily come across as a joke can be taken the wrong way on paper. With that being said, divorce jokes are off limits! Use your best judgement when writing your funny wedding wish and youll be well on your way to creating the perfect wedding card with a side of smiles.
Examples:
- Thanks for inviting us to eat and drink while you get married. Congrats!
- Our marriage advice: love, honor andscrub the toilet.
- Thanks for the free booze. Best wishes on a long, happy marriage.
- Ill tell you the secret of a happy marriage. It remainsa secret to all! Wishing you all the best of times ahead.
- On your wedding day today, you have now become two from one. Does that mean I will get two birthday gifts from you both every year?
- As Bill and Ted said, Be excellent to each other.
- Getting married is like going to drama school. May there be more comedy than melodrama.
- Today I realized that life is not fair for single people like me. Until now I had to buy you a gift only once a year on your birthday. Now I have two birthdays plus a wedding anniversary to buy gifts for. Congratulations to my best friend on tying the knot.
Personalized Wedding Rsvp Cards
To go or not to go? That is the question friends and family must answer when they receive a wedding invitation in the mail.
Inserted with the invitation is a wedding RSVP card, or response card, an important piece of stationery that allows guests to do just that.
Shutterfly offers matching wedding invitations and RSVP card sets for a stunning package that reflects your vision for your big day. Along with styles and themes, our RSVP cards can be personalized with unique text and your choice of trim, color palette and type of paper.
From save the date cards to thank you cards and photo books marking the big day, Shutterfly helps the DIY and budget-smart bride create a beautiful, custom wedding stationery experience from end to end.
What Needs To Be Included On A Response Card
The first thing to be included is your response date, so your guests know when to RSVP by. Then included a space for your guests to write their names and a place for them to check whether they accept or decline your invitation. Lastly, have a self-addressed and stamped return envelope to make it easy for your guests to return the response cards.
Does Your Invite Need An Rsvp Card
If even etiquette experts find this practice slightly old-fashioned, do you need to abide by it if youre sending an invitation? No. Many modern brides are dropping the response card M, Grotts confirms. The shift has moved toward a prompt for guests to write in their names vs. their formal title and surname, such as Lisa and John Grotts.’ Instead of the M, you might see the word NAME instead. An honorific such as Ms. or Mr. is a form of address that conveys title and respect, Grotts says. However, the prefix M doesnt imply including your guests full names. If youre filling out an RSVP card without the M, youre of course welcome to still include your title. But the evolving etiquette rules dont require it, nor do they require including the M in the first placeclearing up some long-standing invitation confusion! Next, find out these other helpful etiquette rules to know.
Without Any Response Card
Some wedding invitations forego the RSVP card entirely. Kentris says this is another common style he sees, and instead of a response card, they may include a details card with a wedding website.
Wiese Alexander says this is where you follow the leader, and only respond in the manner that is asked. If an email is left as a method of reply, dont shoot your friend a text. Its daunting to host a party, and even more so when guests are sending info from all different directions.
If a formal invitation says kindly reply with nothing more added, its time to break out your own stationery. Use the same approach as the pre-printed response card but add another line and make it more personal. This might seem uncommon or intimidating, but Wiese Alexander notes that it was once considered garish to include a reply card as the proper host would assume their sophisticated guests know how to RSVP, of course. This is hardly ever employed in 2021, she says. But you might come across a nostalgic host or twoand now you know what to do.
Writing The Number Of Attendees On The Rsvp Card
If the response card does not include food choices, your job is pretty easy. You will simply state the number of people attending or not attending.
But lets say two people from your home are invited and only one can attend the wedding. The guest that is accepting would fill in the blank line with their title as well as their first and last name. Then, place a 1 next to accepts and a 1 next to declines. Always use a number rather than an x to indicate accepts and declines.
And remember, you can also write a note on the backside of the RSVP card for clarity. Theres nothing more fun than receiving little personalized notes back from wedding guests.
Whoops You Missed The Rsvp Date
While the goal is always to send the RSVP card in ASAP, mistakes do happen and sending back the wedding RSVP card can slip your mind. If this happens and you do plan on attending, don’t just send the card back in and hope for the best. Send it back in, yes, but also pick up the phone to call the couple personally. Couples are often working with tight guest lists and, if they assumed you couldn’t be there, they may have moved on to inviting other wedding guests. They will likely understand and will be thrilled you’re joining them on their wedding day, but the proper etiquette is to connect with them and confirm.
In the same vein, one last tip. If you’re close with a couple and must send your regrets for their wedding, reach out personally to let them know, in addition to sending in the card. Even if it’s technically correct RSVP card etiquette to simply send regrets through snail mail, it may not be the most considerate move. Remember, if you’ve been invited as a wedding guest, it’s because the couple wants to celebrate with you!
How To Word Your Wedding Rsvp
So, youve finally found the perfect wedding invitation and now you need help with your wedding RSVP wording. Look no further! We wanted to share with you some tried and true examples of RSVP invitation etiquette for all types of weddings. We have information on each detail from the ceremony card, RSVP, accommodations and wedding weekend event card to anything else you may need to include. In this post we will help you with your RSVP card wording.
Wedding Wishes For An Elopement
If the couple chose to have an intimate ceremony but you still want to send them your congrats, you’re more than welcome to do so! Really, you can celebrate the happy news with any kind of messageâmany of the options above work wonderfully. But do refrain from using language that could come across as negative. What you write should respect their decision to elope, even if you weren’t able to witness the special ceremony.
Examples:
- “We’re/I’m thrilled to hear the news of your union! Wishing you so much happiness.”
- “Cheers to this awesome adventure.”
- “Yay, it’s official! Congratulations, newlyweds.”
- “You guys rock, and there’s no doubt your elopement did too. Sending you both all the best.”
- “A little birdy told us/me you two are married. Major congrats are in order!”
