To RSVP or not to RSVP, that is the question!

This is a subject that has bothered me for a long time - the RSVP question. (For those of you who can't get the link above it's blogged on cafedave.net (6 Oct)).

We live in a society where people think it's okay to turn up to Weddings without even a phone call to the couple or their parents (depending on who is hosting the Wedding) to indicate that they are coming. Sorry, but this is plain rude.

Why does this irate me so? Well, think about it - you plan anything from a morning tea for four to a Wedding for 300 guests (thankfully it wasn't my Wedding) and you like to know how many people to expect. Ian & I regularly have Football nights (League and Union incase any misguided Europeans are reading this) and have a "just turn up" invitation. That said, we know we can expect anything from none to a dozen or so people. It's no skin off our nose, because anyone who knows me knows that I am a "packet caterer" unless it's a sit-down dinner (which I usually get Ian to cook anyway!). If this was a Wedding/21st etc you could end up with 50 people instead of 110 - this could cost you thousands!!!

What I am saying is this - if you care anything about the person who gives you an invitation for any event/party, show them you care by replying to their kind invitation by either the means they request or if that's too hard for you, give them a call. If you think that it's a load of unnecessary rubbish, then it's time you thought of what that person means to you, because it is probably different to what you mean to them, and I have been hurt by this in the past.

And now for the positive (yep, left it to the end) if you are sending out invites, a novel way I heard about a few years ago was putting "RSVP with regrets" meaning that people only needed to RSVP if they weren't coming... worth a thought!

Kath xo