How to Properly RSVP With Manners

Sending an RSVP lets your host know if you will be able to attend their event.

RSVP is French for "respondez s'il vous plait," which in English essentially means "please respond." This seems pretty straightforward, until it comes time to send your response to the invitation you received. If it is for a formal event, like a wedding or a banquet, you'll want to make sure to use proper etiquette in your response. Fortunately, it is easy to write a response that takes proper manners into account.

Things You'll Need

• Card stock
• Pen
• Envelope

Instructions

1. Determine if you will be able to attend or not. Check your calendar for any scheduling conflicts and, if you do not have any, be sure to write the event in so you do not forget about it.

2. Find a nice piece of card stock or stationary. If the invitation was to a formal event, you should respond on an equally formal piece of paper.

3. Write the RSVP by hand. In the era of computers and cell phones, responding to a mailed invitation with a handwritten response shows that you care.

4. Begin by writing out your full name. Address the person who sent the invitation as Ms., Mrs. or Mr., mention the event, state if you will be coming or not, and write out the date. Be sure to write graciously and formally, and not to use abbreviations.

   For example, Ms. Joanie M. Doe (your full name), accepts with pleasure/ regretfully declines (your response), the kind invitation of Mr. John Q. Public (the person who sent the invitation) to the ASPCA Fund raising Banquet (the event) on the Twentieth of April, 2012 (the date).

5. Send the RSVP by mail as soon as possible, making sure to send it before any "RSVP by" date listed in the invitation.

References

• Practical Etiquette: RSVP Etiquette
• My Good Greetings: How to Write a Formal RSVP to an Invitation