Why We Need to RSVP

It’s already November? Whatever happened to October? This means December’s going to be breathing down our necks a few weeks from now with Christmas just around the corner.  

With parties and functions to attend to, here’s a timely tip is for both hosts and guests alike, because there seems to be a lot of confusion about the meaning of the term RSVP. Often, guests will see those letters on an invitation and not be sure what they're supposed to do about it.

Your Roving Eye believes that it’s a social faux pas and a kiss of death when you put an RSVP request on an invitation and guests don't do anything about it.  

 will they or won’t they?

This could mean that rudeness & the lack of social graces is a growing trend in our society. Or, perhaps, if we have to be kind about the situation, people simply are simply too gauche or do not understand what the term means.

Assuming that the reason guests don't RSVP to an invitation is a case of ignorance, here’s a refresher on Social Etiquette 101: RSVP comes from the French expression "répondez s'il vous plaît", meaning "please respond".

If RSVP is written on an invitation, it means the invited guest must tell the host whether or not they plan to attend the party. It does not mean to respond only if you're coming or not coming. It means the host and/ or the event coordinator needs a definite head count for the planned event, and needs it by the specified date.

IF YOU FAIL TO RSVP

Can you imagine what the consequences would be if the host/ celebrant/ coordinator cannot even have an estimate on the expected number of attendees and have to resort to a guessing game? It would either be two things; A heavy turnout of guests or a trickle only. Either way, it would mean issues regarding reservation of venues, shortage of party favors, wastage of catered food and drinks, difficulties in seating. We haven’t even included the problem of the “eat and run “ guests.

So if the guests don’t RSVP, blacklist and never ever invite them again. Kidding aside, the next time you see RSVP on an invitation you receive, please call your host and respond promptly. That would spare everyone a headache.