An important piece of your wedding invitation set, but one that rarely gets a lot of spotlight, is the Response card you include for guests to send back indicating their “yay” or “nay” to your invitation. Response cards (with postmarked return envelopes) are necessary unless you choose to include RSVP contact info on your invitation or facilitate responses online. Order response cards when you order your invitations to keep things coordinated and make sure everything is ready to mail together.

Although they don’t involve nearly as much information, you should think carefully about your response card wording to make the process as clear and simple as possible for (potentially unobservant) guests.

Anatomy of a Response Card

RSVP deadline

Name of guests
– M____________ (OR)
– Name(s) ________

Attendance line
___ accept(s)
___ regret(s) (OR)
___________ of [total number of household members] will attend

Entree selection instruction
Entree choices

RSVP line: Include an RSVP deadline no less than four weeks from your wedding date (or according to any vendors’ requirements), and prominently place the deadline on the card.  If dates are spelled out in the invitation, the RSVP deadline should follow suit.

Name of guests: Here, guests fill in their names on the blank line (beginning with “M”  for Mrs., Miss, or Mr. in the case of formal invitations).

Attendance line: Pretty self-explanatory: guests mark the appropriate “yes” or “no” response. While the name(s) on the envelope should make it clear who is included in this invitation, if you’re inviting many whole families, consider wording that accommodates multiple people per household to eliminate any confusion.

Entree selection instruction line: If you’re serving a full meal and have an aversion to utter chaos, allow guests to select their entrées on their response cards. Whether you reveal each specific entrée or simply outline the protein or meal type offerings, include instructions for indicating a selection followed by a list of the options.  

Attendance Line Wording Examples

Formal:

M___________________________________
___ accept(s) with pleasure
___ declines with regret

Traditional:

M___________________________________
____ will attend
____ will not attend

M___________________________________
___ accept(s)
___ regret(s)

Casual:

_(guests write their names on this line)________
___ will celebrate in person
___ will celebrate in spirit

___________________________________
___ Can’t wait!
___ Sorry, wish I could be there

___________________________________
___ Looking forward to it!
___ Sorry, can’t make it

Whimsical:

___________________________________
___ Let the good times roll!
___ Sad to miss all the fun

___________________________________
___ Free booze? Count me in!
___ Sitting this one out

Featured Photo Credit || Mariela Campbell Photo + Cinema

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