Creative RSVP Cards!

2 Written by natasha on January 26, 2010 – 5:00 am

An invitation photo (from The Wedding Lens) that came with an RSVP card!

I just received a wedding invitation in the mail that came with an RSVP card – that also asked what we wanted to eat at the wedding. That’s a pretty typical RSVP card these days, right? Right.

So how about trying something a little bit different?

1. The traditional (very traditional) RSVP to a wedding involved a person handwriting a note that indicated whether they would be able to attend or not. In other words, there was NO RSVP card. RSVP cards developed in response to people’s laziness in writing a note!

For example, ask guests to RSVP with a postcard from the location where they are from. Not just that, our friendly blogger & wedding planner Zoe Lingard suggests asking the guests to write a brief note (it has to be brief anyway since it’s a postcard!) saying how they know the couple or telling a nice story about them. Then, you can hang those postcards with clothespins on a clothing line at the wedding. It’s a nice way to reflect where people are from and to gather stories.

2. You send the postcards for people to fill out. One clever couple decided to send out beautiful post cards (antique ones from the location where they were getting married) and on the back simple had them reply with a M_________  ___will attend ___ will not attend. When the couple got the postcards back, they put a sticker over the return address with the table number of the couple. That way, they didn’t have to use MORE paper and they were able to recycle the cards!

3. Use an RSVP card, but leave room for something else. Like what? Like song requests or advice to the couple.

4. In an effort to be green: Don’t use an RSVP card and ask people to reply via email or your website. If you do this, please please please remember Grandma and/or other folks who may or may not have access to (or know how to use) this technology. For those folks, consider one of the paper forms of RSVPs OR ask them to RSVP via telephone.

5. Include a larger envelope with the RSVP card and ask guests to enclose a photo from their wedding day. You can use those photos to display at the wedding too! Note: this might alienate any singles you are inviting!

Do you have creative RSVP card ideas? Share ‘em!

~ Natasha