RSVP is an abbreviation for the French phrase,
Répondez s’il vous plaît
Translation: “Please respond.”
Etiquette Note: When a host sends an invitation and asks you to respond, yes or no, it is expected that you respond (before the date indicated).
The concept of an RSVP seems simple, right? I thought so. Apparently I was wrong.
When I sent out the invitations for my Tea Party I thought it was more than reasonable that I allowed for more than two weeks for guests to RSVP. So can you imagine my shock (and frustration) when almost a third of the guests did not respond!
As a host, I needed to know how many guests to expect. When I made the original reservation I had agreed to pay for the number of guests expected, even if the actual number of guests as less than expected. More than anything anything else, I am peeved because quite simply, it was rude for my guests not to respond.
Moral of the story: If someone is kind enough to invite you to an event and asks that you reply whether or not you plan to attend, please, kindly respond.
Okay. Great. Thanks.
