Bella Figura

Response Cards

Response Cards

Help your guests respond in style. Send a response card that has a corresponding stamped envelope, or save on postage and point guests to reply online at your wedding website. View more on our blog

WHY include a response card?

Response cards can be enclosed with your wedding invitations and will help you determine an accurate guest count for the reception. Printed in the same style as your invitation, your reply card can be as simple or complex as your event requires. Some reply cards simply ask guests to reply by a certain date, while others may request a meal choice or dietary restrictions, and others might include multiple wedding weekend events. Make it easy for your guests to respond by including a printed, stamped envelope.

Response card ETIQUETTE

Be sure to give your guests sufficient time to reply to your wedding, leaving enough time for you to reach out again if you haven’t heard from them by your requested reply date. Your reply date should typically be two to three weeks prior to your wedding unless your caterer or venue needs a headcount sooner than that.

Response card wording & etiquette

Response cards with email/phone/website reply

While less traditional than the response card and envelope combination, a card directing guests to reply via email, phone or website can save time – particularly if you are asking guests to reply in less than the typical response time.

Please respond by the fifth of May

sarah.g.hawkins@gmail.com

OR

For more information and to RSVP, visit www.sarahandclarke2015.com

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Response cards with menu choices

The favor of a reply is requested by the fifth of May

____________________________

___ accepts ___ regrets

___ number attending

___ braised beef short ribs

___ roasted free range chicken

___ vegetarian wild mushroom polenta

OR

M________________________

_____ accepts     _____regrets

Please select an entrée

___filet mignon

___seabass

___vegetarian option

OR

M________________________

_____ accepts     _____regrets

Please initial next to your meal choice

__meat __fish __vegetarian

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Many of my guests have titles that do not start with “m,” such as “Dr. Johnson.” What are some alternatives that I can use on

You can omit the “M” and just use a simple line, or you can leave the card blank in the hopes of receiving a personal message from your guests. Just for your own peace of mind: guests with titles that do not start with “M” can still work with a reply card that features an M line. It’s perfectly appropriate etiquette-wise for them to simply draw a slash through the “M” and write out “Doctor” or whatever their title might be.

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Response cards without M line

These reply cards contain only a single line of text asking for a reply by a given date. Your guests are expected to write a response and indicate whether or not they will be attending your wedding, but are not selecting any menu choices or rsvping to any other events. This format is very traditional but may confuse guests that have not seen it before, and you may not gather all of the information you need. You know your guests best, so chose your response card language accordingly.

The favour of a reply is requested by the fifth of May

OR

Please respond by the fifth of May

OR

Kindly respond by the fifth of May

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Response cards with fun/creative reply

Kindly reply by the fifth of May

M________________________

___ can’t wait to see you!

___ will have you in our thoughts

OR

Please respond by the fifth of May

_______________________

___ Dance shoes are being shined

___ Dance shoes are being resoled

OR

__ can’t wait!

__ can’t come.

OR

___sounds great…bags are packed!

___sorry…send back a postcard!

OR

__ ready to dance

__ sorry to miss the fun

OR

__ will be there

__ will be there in spirit

OR

__ will attend with bells on

__ will attend, free of bells

__ will attend, undecided on bells

__ will not attend, heard there will be people wearing bells

OR

____________(exclamation)!

We are __________(adjective) to hear about your upcoming nuptials!

______________(Your Name(s) is/are ___________(adjective) to

___________________(attend/miss) the celebration. There are ________(number)

people in our party.

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Response cards with weekend events

Kindly reply by the fifth of May

M________________________

__ can’t wait to see you!

will attend the following:

__ Thursday rodeo

__ Friday welcome party

__ Sunday wedding

__ Monday brunch

__ will have you in our thoughts

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How should I establish my reply by date? What is traditional?

Typically the reply date is 2-4 weeks prior to the wedding, but this may vary depending on your caterers and venue. Check with your caterers/venue just to make sure!

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Response cards with M line

M________________________

___accepts ___regrets

___ number attending

Kindly respond by the fifth of May

OR

The favour of reply is requested by the fifth of May

M___________________________

will ___ attend

OR

Please respond by the fifth of May

M_________________________

___ accepts with pleasure

___ declines with regret

OR

M________________________

_____will attend

_____will not attend

Kindly respond by the fifth of May

OR

Please respond by the fifteenth of May

Name(s)_______________________

___ joyfully accept

___ regretfully decline

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