Whether you have been invited to an intimate dinner party or a big birthday bash, responding to your host’s invitation is a must! Just think about it from their perspective. There is nothing more difficult than trying to decide how much food you should have catered, how many desserts you should bake and how many party favors you will need without an accurate guest list, which is why Total Entertainment would like to stress the importance of the RSVP and offer suggestions to party hosts who are unsure what to do when their guests do not respond to their request.
RSVP Etiquette
Derived from the French phrase “Répondez s’il vous plait,” RSVP means “please respond”. Many times, an RSVP will also include the date you should respond by, but the best course of answer is to respond as soon as you receive the invitation.
We all lead busy lives, and it is easy to forget to call a friend to let them know that you will (or will not) be attending their event, but put yourselves in their shoes and respond promptly to ensure your friend’s get-together goes off without a hitch.
Whether you will or will not be attending an event, it is common courtesy to respond to an RSVP, so take the time to call or email your party host promptly – and stick by your response. Last minute things do pop up, so if you find out you will not be able to attend after sending a “yes” response, call and explain the situation to your host. They will greatly appreciate this gesture, as it will allow them to better prepare for the big event.
Advice for Getting Guests to Respond
Planning a party can be stressful, and no host wants to worry about how many guests will appear on their doorstep as their get-together begins. Including an RSVP on your invitations should be an easy way to get a guest total before the big day, and here are a few ways to make the RSVP even easier.
Remember to include the date you would like your guests to RSVP by, giving yourself at least a week and a half before the event (unless we’re talking weddings) so you can make your final preparations with a grand total in mind. Also, by setting the RSVP date a ways ahead of the party you will have time to call the caterer and let them know if you will need less food than was originally planned for.
Another important part of the RSVP is including information on how you would like your guests to contact you. Whether you provide them with your email address, phone number, or a card and stamped envelope to reply with, this information is vital to getting responses.
What to do When Guests Don’t Answer
So what do you do if your party is drawing near and your guests have yet to give you their answer? If you are only missing the responses of a handful of individual, include them into the party total just in-case.
Dealing with a whole bunch of non-responders? Your best course of action is giving them a call yourself. For party hosts who don’t feel comfortable doing this, a quick email is another great option. More informal than a phone call, this is a quick and easy way to get a hold of guests, without dealing with the uncomfortable topic via phone.
From full service party planning to event rentals, Total Entertainment has everything you need to make your Boston area bash a success! To start the planning process, visit us online or give us a call at 978-777-2050.