Video:How to Request an RSVP

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Transcript:How to Request an RSVP

Hello, I'm Bonnie Zaiss for About.com. You're planning a party and you need an exact count of guests attending. How do you request RSVP's?

Determine Nature of Party

First set the date of your party then determine how far in advance you want to send out the invitations. Is the event formal or casual?

If it's a dinner party or something casual send invitations out 30 to 60 days before the party. For more formal events, such as a wedding, send invitations out 2 months before the big day.

For a wedding, you'll want RSVP's 2- 3 weeks before the wedding date. That’s enough time to give caterers, your bakery and the wedding venue a final head count.

For more casual events ask for an RSVP 1 week before the event.

RSVP Cards

When sending out invitations state the specific RSVP date on the invitation or on the response card. Here's an example of a simple reply card:

A reply is requested by July 24, 2011. Leave a space for the person’s name and give them the option to accept: "Accepts with pleasure" or decline: "Declines with regrets."

If you're using an electronic invitation, the template will offer guests a "yes," "no" or "maybe" option. As the host you can add note on the invitation asking for a specific RSVP date. You can also set up the template to send automatic reminders to your entire guest list.

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