{"id":620,"date":"2020-12-10T22:44:51","date_gmt":"2020-12-10T22:44:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hilarieblaney.com\/?p=620"},"modified":"2020-12-10T22:44:51","modified_gmt":"2020-12-10T22:44:51","slug":"the-long-lost-art-of-the-rsvp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hilarieblaney.com\/the-long-lost-art-of-the-rsvp\/","title":{"rendered":"The Long-Lost Art of the RSVP"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s start with the basics. The term \u2018RSVP\u2019 stands for\u00a0r\u00e9spondez s\u2019il vous plait<\/em>, which is a French term that roughly translates to \u201cplease respond.\u201d In this economy, or any economy really, knowing the correct number of guests to prepare for can be important. Too few hors d\u2019oeuvres and guests can wind up ravenous \u2013 too many, and the host has just wasted money.<\/p>\n

This brings me to my first point, which may seem a bit obvious: if you RSVP \u2018yes\u2019 to a party or event, then show up.<\/strong>\u00a0It seems like common sense to most people, but lately I\u2019ve noticed a trend of people responding with a \u2018yes\u2019 and then not showing or, more commonly, simply not replying to the invitation at all. Perhaps it needs to be stated again, that RSVP means \u201cplease respond\u201d \u2013 meaning that the host is requesting a response of some sort, even if it\u2019s a \u2018no\u2019. It\u2019s perfectly fine to decline an invitation, as it still helps the host as far as planning when it comes to food and refreshments.<\/p>\n

Of course, this line of thought also brings me to another point:\u00a0if the invitation is to you only, it doesn\u2019t mean you should show up with friends.<\/strong>\u00a0I\u2019ve also noticed that occasionally, people will follow-through on their RSVP of \u2018yes\u2019 \u2013 but they\u2019ll also bring a guest or five with them. For one, this goes back to the beginning of my post about how, if too many guests show up, the host won\u2019t have enough refreshments and hors d\u2019oeuvres available for everyone. This also creates the possibility of another issue: occasionally, hosts may not invite specific people for specific reasons. Ultimately, it should be the host\u2019s decision as to who attends \u2013 and bringing uninvited guests can certainly have a negative impact on that, as well as your relationship with that person.<\/p>\n

There you have it \u2013 the basics of RSVP etiquette. Here are a few more party tips to consider:<\/p>\n