Almost always, when you receive an invitation, you find these four letters somewhere on the invite: RSVP. You probably don’t know what it stands for, but when you see these letters, you know you have to do one important thing: Reply.
RSVP is basically a French phrase, “Repondez S’il Vous Plait”, which means “Please Reply” in English. Over the years, it’s become a social practice to reply to invitations marked with RSVP. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of people who don’t.
3 Reasons Why RSVP Is Important
If you feel like you don’t need to RSVP to the invite, think again! Here are some reasons why it’s a must.
It is invitation etiquette to RSVP.
RSVP was placed there for a reason. RSVP literally means, “please reply,” so it is only natural that you respond accordingly. In sending out your RSVP, there are two things guests need to remember: when to respond, and what they responded.
When to respond. Part of invitation etiquette is sending out an RSVP on time. If the host requests in the invitation that you respond to the RSVP within a specific time frame, the guest will respond within that time frame. If there is no time frame, it is polite to send out your RSVP two to three weeks before the date to allot enough time for the final head count.
What you responded. If you’ve said on your RSVP that you will attend, you must stick to your word. The RSVP was made so that the host may finalize how many people will attend. Going against what you’ve said will only defeat its purpose.
The host thought of you while planning the event.
Choosing who to invite is a big decision in itself. Imagine your host having to plan and prepare an event thinking that you will attend but in the end, not receiving an RSVP from you.
The host took the time to send you an invitation. You were chosen to be invited amidst his many friends and acquaintances. You can at least send a response as to whether or not you will come. Sending an RSVP, even if you are indicating that you will not attend, will at least give the impression that you value the host’s time and effort.
Your RSVP determines aspects of the planning itself.
The very purpose of an RSVP is for the host to be able to determine the kind of preparation needed for the event. Imagine having to make seating arrangements, choosing the amount of food and beverages, and selecting a location but not knowing how much people will be there. The host could end up overspending or underspending.
Mailing an RSVP to the host wouldn’t be too much for you, but it would be of great convenience to the host! Whether you attend (or not), always be a gracious person and respond to the invitation.
Get Much Needed Help from an Experienced Event Planner
Hosting a party really takes a lot of work! In fact, it can even be too overwhelming. While invitation etiquette may not be strictly followed by most, the truth is, sometimes, all you really need is an experienced event planner to guide your guests through it.
Contact a professional event planner today! Experienced planners know just what to say to get people to respond to your invitations. They can even encourage your guests to look forward to your next big event!
Written by bleu events, one of the top event planners Columbia, MO has to offer.
