What Does RSVP Mean on an Invitation? - The Spruce

The term "RSVP" comes from the French expression répondez s'il vous plaît, meaning "please respond." If RSVP is written on an invitation, it ... TheSpruce/EricaLang IftheRSVPsays,"regretsonly,"youonlyneedtorespondifyouare unabletoattend.Ifyoudon'trespond,thehostwillexpectyoutobethere.Besuretousetherequestedmethodtodeclinetheinvitationifyoucan'tattend.It'sbestnottorespondifyouwillattend,asaresponsemaybeconfusingtothehost.Useothermethodstoexpressyourenthusiasmaboutattendingtheevent. WhatIsanRSVP? Theterm"RSVP"comesfromtheFrenchexpressionrépondezs'ilvousplaît,meaning"pleaserespond."IfRSVPiswrittenonaninvitation,itmeansthehosthasrequestedthattheguestrespondtosayiftheyplantoattendtheparty. HowtoRSVP Invitationsrequiringan RSVPwillhaveinstructionshowtorespond.Aformalinvitation,suchas a weddinginvitation,willhaveanenclosed responsecard thatyoucanreturninitsprovidedenvelope.Informalinvitations,ontheotherhand,mayhaveatelephonenumber,emailaddress,textingaddress,orsocialmediamethodtoreply,withinstructions.ElectronicRSVPrequestsmakeiteasytorespondbyeitheremailorlinkstoasitewithbuttonstoacceptordecline. TheRSVPshouldmakeitclearwhoisinvited.Couplesareoftennamedtogether,sometimesfollowedby"andfamily,"whichwouldincludeyourminorchildren.Itmayindicateyouareabletobringaguest,oftencalleda"plusone."Ifyoudon'tseeanyindicationthattheinvitationallowsyoutobringaweddingguest,youshouldassumeitisonlyforyouandanyoneelseexplicitlynamed. Theremaybeablanktowriteinanumberofguests.Checkfurtherontheinvitationtoseewhatthelimitsareforanumberofguests.Ifyouareconsideringmorethanoneortwo,contactthehosttoensuretheeventcanhandlethenumberyouareproposingtobring. WhentoRSVP RSVPrequestsoftenincludeadeadlineforresponse,asthehostisfinalizingnumbersforthecaterer,eventsite,favors,andothereventdetails.It'sbesttorespondassoonaspossibleratherthandelaying.Thehostthenmaybeabletoofferinvitationstootherpeoplewhodidn'tmakethefirstcutforinvitationsoraccommodatesextraguestsofotherinvitees. Ifyouwanttoattendbutareunabletogiveadefiniteresponsebeforethedeadline,it'sbesttodecline.Youcancontactthehostwithyourregretsandexplainwhatiskeepingyoufrombeingabletoknowyoucanattend.Askifthereisanyflexibilitybutunderstandifthereisn't.Theearlieryoumakethiscall,thebetter,ratherthanwaitinguntilthehosthasfollowedupwithrequeststoreturntheoutstandingRSVPs. CancelingorChanging anRSVP ItisbadformtocancelanRSVP,withexceptionsincluding illnessoradeathinyourfamily.Thehostwillalreadyhavemadeplansbasedonyourattendance.ThetimetodeclineiswhenyoumaketheRSVP,consideringallthefactorsastoyourscheduling,finances,andotheropportunities.IfyoudeclinedtheRSVPbutdiscoveryoucanattendtheevent,contactthehosttoseeifitispossible. WhyIt'sInconsiderateNottoRSVP Manypeopledon'tRSVPbecausetheydon'twanttodisappointthehost.Thisattempttosparetheirfeelingsusuallycausesmoretroublethanasimpleno.Anincompletelistofrespondentscancausenumerousproblemsforahost,includingdifficultyinestimatingfoodportions,issuesrelatingtominimumguaranteeswithcateringhalls,uncertaintyoverthenumberofpartyfavors,anddifficultiesinplanningappropriateseating,amongotherthings. Sometimespeopledon'tsendanRSVP bytherequestedtimebecausetheyareunsureiftheywillbeabletoattendanddon'twanttocommittoananswer.Ifthisisyoursituation,it'sbesttobehonestwiththehostaboutyoursituation.Theonlywaytheycanhelpmakeaccommodationsforyouisiftheyknowyouneedthem. TheSpruce FeaturedVideo ReadMore HowtoRespondtoRSVP ExpertsSayTheseArethe5MostCommonMistakesWeAllMakeasPartyGuests HowtoSayNotoanInvitationYouAreUnabletoAccept SimpleTrickstoEncourageParentstoRSVPtoYourKidsParty Who'sWhointheWeddingParty LearnHowtoGivetheBestHostandHostessGifts HowtoWriteaPartyInvitation TheInsandOutsofSave-the-DateCards WhattoWeartoaSemi-FormalEvent WhattoExpectandHowtoBehaveataBaptismorChristening HowtoWriteanInviteforaSecond-TimeAroundBabyShower 9WeddingInvitationTips 13RudeThingsaHouseGuestShouldNeverDo HowtoPlanaGraduationPartyStepbyStep HowtobeaGoodBirthdayPartyHost 9WeddingInvitationGuestListQuestions