How to Write an RSVP

When you receive a written invitation, the proper response is a written response or RSVP. In this day and age of shorthand text messaging, long hand responses and letters are few and far between. Whether it be via email or mailman, when you get an invitation, it's not difficult to submit an RSVP whether you decide to accept the invitation or not.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Decide whether you can attend the event you've been invited to. Before considering any feelings towards the invitation you received, check to see if you're available first. If the calendar shows a conflict, you'll want to include that bit of information in your response.

2. Decide if you really want to accept the invitation. Perhaps you were invited to attend the wedding of an ex, or you receive an invitation from someone you don't know well. Either way, it's important to decide your feelings about the invite and make a decision whether to accept the invitation or not based on those feelings.

3. Reply in a reasonable amount of time. For weddings, it's wise to apply at least two weeks before the "respond by" date on the response card. For most other events, it's helpful for your host or hostess to respond within 24 hours of receiving the invitation so he or she may make plans accordingly.

4. Respond in writing if possible, or via the same method the invitation was extended. To be most proper, a hand-written response is the best way to RSVP. However, if an invitation was sent via email, an email RSVP is appropriate.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask before bringing other people. In some cases, an event is expecting only the amount of people who responded and no more.
• Even if an invitation doesn't specify an RSVP, a reply is still expected.
• Don't "not" reply. Frankly, this practice is rude and will get you a reputation for flaking out if you fail to RSVP to an invitation.