Your Complete Wedding RSVP Guide

Your wedding RSVP is the first chance for you to make an impression; and let's face it, a standard card just won't cut it anymore. Your RSVP should reflect your personality and the style of your big day, but there are also a few essential boxes it needs to tick.

An RSVP is your opportunity to give guests the basic details about your event, but it’s also a chance for you to gather some key information from them. It’s not always as simple as ‘yes, I can make it’ or ‘sorry, I’m unavailable’ – there’s a bit more thought that needs to go into it.

If you’re wondering exactly what to include in your wedding RSVPs, don’t panic. At Paperbox, we help couples design their dream wedding stationery – to make a brilliant first impression on their guests and to put those perfect finishing touches on their big day. We’re here to help.

In this guide, we’ve laid out the non-negotiable details your RSVP card absolutely must include, along with some other helpful tips and tricks to make your RSVPs shine. Let’s dive in.

Essential information for your RSVP

Often, your RSVP will take the form of a small card, slipped inside your original wedding invitation – it’s designed to be compact and simple to use for all of your guests. But what information do you need to include on your wedding RSVP card?

Response option

This is the main reason you’re sending an RSVP in the first place. This is where you ask the recipient whether they'll be attending your big day. Keep it simple and clear with yes or no tick boxes.

Of course, you can personalise this area and make it your own, and the best way to do that is by customising your wording. Try to make the copy your own – something that reflects you. For example, perhaps your wedding is a little more formal, and you may choose to write:

• Accepts with pleasure
• Regretfully declines

Or you might prefer something a little more light-hearted:

• It's a MASSIVE yes
• Sorry, can’t make it

Guest names

Leave a space or underline for recipients to fill in their own names. This is especially useful – and provides extra clarity – when you’re inviting multiple people from the same household. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just a solid or dotted line, or a blank space, will do.

Alternatively, you could consider printing the recipients’ names on the RSVP, as you may have done with the invitation. This personalised touch allows guests to cross out the names of anyone who won’t be attending. However, this process is usually a bit more time-consuming.

Plus-one details

If you’re allowing plus-ones to your special day, then you’ll need to include a space for the recipient to confirm this. Often, it's simply a short sentence followed by an underline or blank space for guests to fill in the number of people attending. For example:

Number of guests attending: ___________

Remember to make it clear in your initial wedding invitation that you’re extending the invite to a plus-one. If you feel it needs to be clear, don’t hesitate to reiterate it on the RSVP. There’s truly nothing worse than confusion over plus-ones.

Meal choice

Depending on your plans for the wedding, you may be offering a meal – or even multiple meals –throughout the big day. If this is something you’re organising in advance, it’s a good idea to have guests preorder, just to make your life a little easier. The RSVP is the perfect place to do this.

Include tick boxes with the meal options so it’s easy for guests to make their selections. Make sure it’s simple enough for people to indicate who is choosing what – directing your guests to pop initials or names next to each tick box can work well for this.

Dietary requirements

Alongside meal choices, it’s always a good idea to gather information about your guests’ dietary requirements or any potential allergies. Even if guests aren’t selecting their own meals, it’s still helpful to include this, as it will make your caterers aware of any risks when serving up.

A simple prompt with space to write should work well. For example:

Please let us know of any dietary requirements or allergies: __________

The RSVP deadline date

You’ll want to let your guests know the all-important RSVP deadline – this will be crucial to planning your big day. It will help you organise catering, calculate costs, plan seating, and more.

This is a key detail, so make sure to highlight it – use bold text and put it front and centre on the card to draw attention. You don’t want anyone missing it.

Return details

Now that you’ve gathered all the information you need, it’s time to think about how you’d like to receive your RSVPs. There are a few different ways to go about this.

If you’re requesting replies by post, make sure to clearly state that on the RSVP card. It’s also a good idea to include a return envelope. Pre-addressing the envelope before sending it out helps avoid confusion and makes things super simple for your guests.

Alternatively, you might choose to receive digital RSVPs. If so, be sure to explain exactly how guests should respond – whether by text message, email, or any other method. Just make sure the process is clear, and that everyone has the opportunity and ability to reply.

Get your RSVPs right

Your RSVP cards are more than a chance to collect information – they’re a chance to connect with your guests. It’s your very first impression of what they can expect from your big day. It’s your chance to build excitement and set the tone for the celebrations.

At Paperbox, we help people create the perfect stationery for their wedding day, capturing the meaning and feeling of their special day from that very first invitation. Whether you’re hosting a close-knit group in a tiny chapel or organising a grand outdoor event, we have everything you need to make your big day even bigger.

If you’re struggling to bring your DIY wedding RSVP cards to life, get in touch. Our craft experts are always happy to lend a helping hand.