RSVP cards relay the final specifics for your wedding.  From these cards, you’ll have a final count of the people attending.  Here are the top five RSVP card tips, plus a pro tip at the end.

1. Date

Visit with your caterer and venue to see when they need to know your final guest count.  Use this date as a guide as to when you need the reply card back from your guests.  Most often the card should be returned about 4 weeks from your wedding date, but destination weddings or weddings around holidays may need more time for planning.

2. Design with Your Guests in Mind

I love a nice dark cardstock with white ink printing, but the RSVP card is not the place for dark cardstock.  Most guests have a black ink pen handy to fill in the information on the RSVP card, so make sure your RSVP card is something that can be filled in with a black ink pen.  Think light colored cardstocks where the information will be easy for them to fill in the blanks. 

3. Wording

Are you inviting the whole family or only adults?  One way to inform your guests if their children are invited is to list “___ number of seats have been reserved for you”.  You would fill in the number.  This communicates how many people from a family you are inviting.

If you are hosting a weekend full of wedding events, word the rsvp with:

Please check all you will attend.

___ Welcome Party (Friday)

___ Wedding/Reception (Saturday)

___ Farewell Brunch (Sunday)

If you’ll be having a seated dinner with menu options, word the rsvp with:

Place each guest’s initials next to his or her meal choice.

___ Beef

___ Chicken

___ Fish

4. RSVP Envelope Address

The RSVP envelope should go back to the person(s) that will record the rsvp information.  The first line of the address could read any of the following: The Future Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Sarah and Chris, parents names, The Smith Family. 

Traditionally, the RSVP card is sent back to the host of the wedding.  There is a little bit of variance in this at times due to who will be tracking the rsvp information. 

5. Guests Who Do Not Return the RSVP Card

You’ll need to follow up with guests who do not return the rsvp card with a phone call, email, or social media message.  Often, life gets busy and some forget to return it.  After planning your own wedding, you’ll likely become very timely about rsvp-ing to other events! ?

Pro Tip

The last rsvp card tip involves missing names! Many people forget to write their name on the RSVP card, leaving you with little information about who returned it!  On the back of each of the rsvp cards, write a number that corresponds with your guest list.  That way if someone forgets to write his or her name, you’ll know who returned it.

The RSVP card has many pieces to it and can be very helpful in planning the final few months that lead up to the wedding.  It’s from the RSVP card that you will know names for the place cards and seating charts and final counts to give the wedding venue and caterer.  Be sure to use theses RSVP card tips to aid you in your final plans.

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