It seems easy enough: Send a quick yes or no to the contact number indicated in an invitation. And yet, why doesn’t the simple act of RSVPing come naturally to most people? Directly translated from the French phrase répondez s’il vous plaît, RSVP means “please respond.” Others may dismiss this as optional, but if you’re a party planner, you know how important this is for organizing any event.
Basics
Once you’ve set a budget, you can discuss the expected number of guests—so you can figure out the space (will it fit all of your guests?), finalize your menu (how many plates are you preparing?) and other details, such as the setup.
What to do when your guests don’t RSVP
Chinkie Uy of Metro Eventscape Planners echoes this. For her, responding to an invitation is vital, regardless of whether it’s a big or small event. “It really helps make the necessary arrangements to make sure that our guests are taken care of and that they are able to get the best service. Food, seating, and other details are taken into account once we know exactly how many people are coming,” she says.
What to do when people who did not RSVP show up
Finalizing your guest list
Categorizing people on your list in terms of their relation to you will also help when you have to suddenly trim your guest list. “In this way, you will be able to have an overview of who you want to remove or retain on your list,” says Ong-Te.
This story originally appeared in Southern Living Wrap Up Issue
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