RSVPs - Do They Mean Anything Today?
If you have planned an event in the last few years and asked invitees to RSVP, you may have encounted resistance, or, worse yet, people who RSVPed they were coming, but didn't show, leaving you with possibly hundreds of dollars in wasted food. The trend seems to be getting worse with each passing year.
RSVP is French for "Respond, please." It means just that. Invitees need to respond even if they do not plan to attend. Those planning the event need to know how much food to order, how many tables and chairs to rent, how many servers to engage and other issues. Invitations include response cards or a phone number or e-mail for a reason. If guests fail to respond to an invitation to a social event, the hosts may have to spend hours making phone calls. If it is a business event and you fail to respond, you won't be tracked down. Rather, you will be embarrassed when you arrive and are not expected.
In years past, people failed to respond but still came to the event, expecting to magically find a place card with their name on it and a meal ready and waiting, as well as space at a table to sit. I have had guests who failed to respond yet showed up with family in tow, saying "we will sit wherever there is space and we will eat whatever is prepared." Unfortunately, there may not be enough food prepared or tables available. Just last week, for a business event, a well known businessman arrived, and not finding a name badge because he failed to RSVP, pulled out his invitation to "remind" us that he had been invited and was supposed to be there. Another invitee invited her staff members to join her without first checking with the hosts, creating embarrassment when the staff arrived and found they were not expected and had no place to sit.
In the last four or five years, people have begun responding that they will attend an event and then not coming, sometimes in significant numbers. I have had events where 300 said they were coming and 50 didn't attend. I have also had events where 65 said they were coming and 15 didn't show. That is almost one quarter of the guests! And that is a lot of wasted food and manpower.
Have we become such a casual society that we no longer think about anyone other than ourselves? Do we not care that our thoughtlessness may cost someone hundreds of dollars and possibly strain or ruin friendships? Let's take the time to think about how our actions affect others and do the right thing - send in that RSVP whether you are attending or not.
RSVP is French for "Respond, please." It means just that. Invitees need to respond even if they do not plan to attend. Those planning the event need to know how much food to order, how many tables and chairs to rent, how many servers to engage and other issues. Invitations include response cards or a phone number or e-mail for a reason. If guests fail to respond to an invitation to a social event, the hosts may have to spend hours making phone calls. If it is a business event and you fail to respond, you won't be tracked down. Rather, you will be embarrassed when you arrive and are not expected.
In years past, people failed to respond but still came to the event, expecting to magically find a place card with their name on it and a meal ready and waiting, as well as space at a table to sit. I have had guests who failed to respond yet showed up with family in tow, saying "we will sit wherever there is space and we will eat whatever is prepared." Unfortunately, there may not be enough food prepared or tables available. Just last week, for a business event, a well known businessman arrived, and not finding a name badge because he failed to RSVP, pulled out his invitation to "remind" us that he had been invited and was supposed to be there. Another invitee invited her staff members to join her without first checking with the hosts, creating embarrassment when the staff arrived and found they were not expected and had no place to sit.
In the last four or five years, people have begun responding that they will attend an event and then not coming, sometimes in significant numbers. I have had events where 300 said they were coming and 50 didn't attend. I have also had events where 65 said they were coming and 15 didn't show. That is almost one quarter of the guests! And that is a lot of wasted food and manpower.
Have we become such a casual society that we no longer think about anyone other than ourselves? Do we not care that our thoughtlessness may cost someone hundreds of dollars and possibly strain or ruin friendships? Let's take the time to think about how our actions affect others and do the right thing - send in that RSVP whether you are attending or not.
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