As wedding planners, we know first hand that narrowing down the guest list is no easy task for a couple. By the time an invitation reaches it’s recipient, hours upon hours have been poured into deciding who will receive an invitation and who doesn’t quite make the cut. Basically, if you are the recipient of an invitation, you have a very coveted golden ticket! While responding to an invitation is a pretty simple thing, here are a few etiquette basics we want to share!

RSVP As Soon As Possible

Even though most RSVP cards have an “RSVP By” date on them, that doesn’t mean you should wait until the very last minute to send your response. The guest count plays a huge role in the couple’s planning process and there are a number of things that are affected by your response. By sending your RSVP back as quickly as you can, you won’t have to worry about forgetting about it and it helps reduce the stress in at least one area of the wedding planning process. It’s a win-win for everyone!

If the RSVP doesn’t include a plus one, don’t bring a plus one

As you sit there admiring the beautiful invitation in front of you, make sure you read the RSVP card thoroughly! If there is no indication of you bringing a plus one, it isn’t a mistake, a typo, or anything other than intentional. While this may not be what you had in mind, it is so important that you respect the couple’s wishes and don’t take it upon yourself to add one more person to their headcount. RSVP’ing for two when they are only expecting one means they are unable to send out another invitation to someone they planned on celebrating their wedding day with.

Dress how the invitation suggests

Even though you have sent in your RSVP nice and early, you may want to hold on to the invitation as they are often times a good indication as to what type of attire should be worn to the wedding. If the invitation is pressed in gold foil with calligraphy, you probably don’t want to show up in a short summer dress that would be perfect for a beach wedding. On the flip side, if it is a casual invite that gives off low key vibes, showing up in a long evening gown probably isn’t the best move either.

Respond in the manner indicated on the invitation

If your invitation has an RSVP card for you to fill out and return, the couple is expecting to receive your response by good old snail mail. If they give you an email address or a website to send your response to, then that’s exactly where you should send it. Receiving responses in different methods makes it more difficult for the couple to keep track of who will be there and who won’t.

Nothing too crazy, just some simple tips to keep in mind next time you receive an invitation! If you want more wedding tips, stories, and inspiration, make sure to follow all of our social media sites!

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