Crafting The Perfect Wedding Reply Card: A Guide

Wedding invitation reply cards, or RSVP cards, are a critical part of wedding stationery. They are used to confirm attendance, finalise details, and build excitement for the big day. When creating a wedding invitation reply card, it is important to include key elements such as a clear deadline for responses, a way for guests to indicate their attendance or regrets, and space for guests to provide their names and any additional information, such as dietary restrictions or song requests. Reply cards can be traditional or creative, reflecting the couple's personality and wedding theme. They can be included as separate insert cards or as part of the invitation text, with options for online or physical responses.

Include a deadline for responses

When it comes to wedding invitation reply cards, setting a deadline for responses is crucial. Here are some instructive and focused guidelines on including a deadline for responses:

Set a Clear Deadline

It is essential to give your guests a clear deadline for responding to your wedding invitation. This deadline should be prominently featured on the reply card, typically around four weeks before the wedding date. This allows both the couple and their vendors to finalise any last-minute details, such as food quantities and seating arrangements. For example, you can write "Kindly respond by [insert date]."

Finalise Details with Vendors

The deadline for responses is crucial as it helps you finalise the details with your wedding vendors. With an accurate guest count, you can provide the final numbers to your caterers, rental companies, and other vendors. This ensures that there are enough resources and preparations for all your guests.

Allow Extra Time for Destination Weddings

If you're planning a destination wedding, it's advisable to set an earlier deadline. Give your guests ample time, around two months before the wedding, to confirm their travel arrangements and RSVP. This ensures that everyone can finalise their plans and that you have an accurate headcount for your special day.

Remind Guests to Respond

To ensure you receive responses before the deadline, consider sending a gentle reminder to your guests. You can do this in person, over the phone, or even online. A polite reminder a week or so before the deadline can help ensure a timely response and reduce the stress of last-minute arrangements.

Be Prepared for Late Responses

Despite your best efforts, there may be guests who respond after the deadline or forget to respond altogether. In such cases, it's a good idea to follow up with them personally. Give them a call or send a quick message to confirm their attendance or regrets. This extra step ensures that your guest list is as accurate as possible.

Include Contact Information

On your reply card, provide guests with clear contact information to facilitate their responses. Include a phone number and email address so that they can easily reach out with any questions or concerns. This is especially helpful for older relatives or guests who may not be comfortable with online RSVPs.

Provide a way to accept or decline

The primary purpose of an RSVP card is to allow invitees to confirm their attendance. Therefore, it is important to include a clear and straightforward way for guests to accept or decline the invitation. Here are some tips and suggestions for achieving this:

Formatting Options

There are several ways to format the acceptance and decline options on your RSVP cards. You can use checkboxes, circling, or fill-in-the-blank lines. For example:

• Checkboxes: "□ Accept with pleasure  □ Decline with regret"
• Circling: "Accept with pleasure (circle one): Yes/No"
• Fill-in-the-blank: "We would be delighted to attend/We regretfully cannot attend"

Wording Options

The traditional wording for an RSVP is "Accept with pleasure" or "Accepts with pleasure" and "Regretfully decline" or "Declines with regret". However, feel free to get creative and use less formal or more unique wording that reflects your personality and wedding theme. Here are some examples:

• Formal: "Accepts with pleasure" / "Declines with regret"
• Informal: "Yasss, let's party!" / "No, party on without me"
• Unique: "Yeah, baby!" / "Dang, we're/I'm busy!"

Online RSVPs

If you prefer to receive RSVPs online, you can include this information on a separate card inside the invitation envelope or at the bottom of the invitation itself. Provide the wedding website URL and a clear deadline for responses, such as "Please RSVP online at [website] by [date]." Keep in mind that some older guests may not be comfortable with online RSVPs, so consider including a phone number or email address as an alternative option.

Additional Tips

To make the process smoother, set an RSVP deadline of around four weeks before the wedding date. This will give you and your vendors enough time to finalise the details. Also, be sure to include pre-addressed and pre-stamped envelopes with each RSVP card for your guests' convenience.

Ask for dietary requirements

Asking for dietary requirements is an essential part of your wedding invitation reply card. It is important to know about any allergies or dietary restrictions your guests may have to ensure they are accommodated and no one has a medical issue.

• Clear and Concise Wording: Use clear and concise wording to ask about dietary requirements. You can simply state "Please indicate any dietary requirements or food allergies below:" This will prompt guests to provide any relevant information.
• Checkbox Format: You can use checkboxes to make it easier for guests to indicate their dietary restrictions. For example, you can have checkboxes for common options such as "Vegetarian", "Vegan", "Gluten-Free", "Dairy-Free", and "Halal". Guests can then select the options that apply to them.
• Fill-in-the-Blank Line: Another option is to provide a fill-in-the-blank line where guests can write in their specific dietary requirements. For example, you can have a line that says "Please list any dietary restrictions or allergies:" This gives guests the flexibility to describe their needs in their own words.
• Separate Card for Dietary Requirements: If you want to gather more detailed information about dietary requirements, you can include a separate card dedicated to this topic. This card can have more space for guests to provide information and can include prompts such as "Please list any food allergies:", "Please indicate any dietary restrictions:", and "Are there any specific ingredients or foods to avoid?".
• Follow-up Communication: Keep in mind that some guests may have complex dietary requirements or severe allergies. In these cases, it is a thoughtful gesture to follow up with them directly after receiving their reply. This can be a phone call or email to gain a better understanding of their needs and ensure the necessary accommodations are made.
• Catering Considerations: When planning your wedding menu, consider offering a variety of options that can accommodate common dietary restrictions. For example, having vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices can ensure that most, if not all, of your guests' needs are met.

Remember, the key is to make your guests feel included and valued by addressing their dietary requirements. By providing clear and thoughtful options on your reply card, you can ensure that everyone has a positive and enjoyable experience at your wedding celebration.

Add a creative flair

There are many ways to add a creative flair to your wedding invitation reply cards. Here are some ideas to make your cards unique and memorable:

Design and Wording

• Opt for a unique design that reflects your wedding theme or your personality as a couple. For example, if you're having a rustic wedding, choose invitation suites with muted colours, barnyard graphics, and simple typography.
• Play with different fonts and text sizes to create visual interest.
• Include engagement photos or other graphics that symbolise your love story.
• Use sweet and romantic phrases such as "We decided on forever", "To love and to cherish", or "The future Mr. & Mrs. _____".
• If you and your partner are known for a specific phrase or motto, add that to your invitations.

Formal and Informal Wording Ideas

• Formal: "The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of _____", "_____ request the honour of your presence at the marriage of _____", "You are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of _____", "Together with their parents, you are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of _____".
• Informal: "You are invited to the wedding of _____", "Your presence is requested at the wedding of _____", "_____ request the pleasure of your company at their wedding", "_____ joyfully invite you to share in a celebration of love and commitment", "Please come help us celebrate our love".

Post-Ceremony Wording Ideas

• Informal: "Dinner and dancing to follow", "Followed by dinner and dancing", "Drinks and dancing to follow", "Cocktails, dinner and dancing to follow", "Adult reception to follow".
• Formal: "An evening of celebration to follow", "Reception to follow", "Reception immediately following at _____", "Different location reception wording: Reception to follow at _____".

Adding a Personal Touch

• Write a few sentences in your reply, such as thanking your host or sending well wishes to the couple. This adds a thoughtful touch, and the couple may also cherish these notes as keepsakes.
• If you have a particular skill, such as calligraphy or graphic design, use this to create beautiful and unique invitations.
• If you share inside jokes or have a special dynamic with the couple, incorporate this into your reply card. It will surely bring a smile to their faces!

Include contact details

Contact details are an important part of your wedding invitation reply card. Here are some tips to ensure your guests can respond to your invitation:

Pre-addressed and pre-stamped envelopes

Include pre-addressed and pre-stamped envelopes with your RSVP cards to make it easy for your guests to send their responses. The envelopes should be addressed to the person handling the RSVPs, such as the couple, their parents, a wedding planner, or someone in the wedding party. This ensures that the responses are sent to the correct person and saves your guests time and effort in addressing and stamping the envelopes themselves.

Email address and phone number

It is a good idea to provide an email address and phone number on the reply card or RSVP card. This is especially important if you are accepting RSVPs by email or phone, but it can also be helpful for guests who have questions or need to provide additional information. For example, older guests may prefer to call or email their response rather than using a wedding website.

Wedding website

If you have a wedding website, be sure to include the URL on your reply card or RSVP card. This allows guests to easily access the website and provides a central location for all the information they need, such as the couple's registry, hotel accommodations, and other wedding details. It can also be used to collect RSVPs, reducing the amount of inbound mail the couple will receive.

Clear instructions

Provide clear instructions on how you would like guests to respond. For example, if you prefer them to RSVP by phone, email, or through your wedding website, make sure to include this information on the reply card. This ensures that guests can respond promptly and in the manner that is most convenient for you.

Deadline

Give a clear deadline for responses, such as "Kindly respond by [date]." This helps you finalize the guest list and provides vendors with an accurate headcount for catering, seating, and other arrangements. The deadline should be featured prominently on the card, and it is common to use wording such as "Please respond by [date]" or "Kindly reply by [date]."

Frequently asked questions