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RSVP cards

Online Users: 1,300 guest(s), 0 user(s). Replies: 18


BrideofFrankens... Posts : 31 Registered: 1/14/09
RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 20, 2010 9:42 PM

Quicky question! Can RSVP cards be post cards or do they have to be sealed in an envelope to be sent? it seems wasteful to me to put these in an envelope that's just going to be thrown away (recycled)....

thanks folks!

missouri
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auntofthebride Posts : 9,357 Registered: 4/2/06
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 20, 2010 11:42 PM Go to message in response to: BrideofFrankens...

Dear BofF,

I love your user name!

" Can RSVP cards be post cards or do they have to be sealed in an envelope to be sent? "

Post cards are fine. Go for it. You'll save money on paper, stamps, etc.

If your guest list is not too long, consider just putting a line on your invitation like this:

RSVP 555-555-5555
You @ ISP . com

That way you can eschew RSVP cards altogether and save quite a bit of money.

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CheetahAngel Posts : 2,017 Registered: 11/29/08
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 8:10 AM Go to message in response to: auntofthebride

What about RSVP menu cards? Do those need to be put inside an envelope?

 

                           
                                          CIMG7482-1.jpg picture by CheetahAngel81

 

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connecticut , october_2010
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auntofthebride Posts : 9,357 Registered: 4/2/06
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 8:40 AM Go to message in response to: CheetahAngel

Dear CA,

There's no reason why the whole thing (accept & meal choice) can't be on a postcard. If someone is sensitive to the letter carrier seeing their preference for chicken, then they can call you and tell you personally, or write their own note (gasp shock) on their own stationery (gasp shock) and stick that in their own envelope (gasp shock) and put on their own stamp.

I know that's a HUGE stretch for the typical Lazy Guest, but there is that option for the easily embarrassed.

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CheetahAngel Posts : 2,017 Registered: 11/29/08
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 8:53 AM Go to message in response to: auntofthebride

Thanks Aunt. I just figured that if it's in an envelope it will be protected more in case if it rains. Also what if the mail carrier or someone decides to be mean and mess with the menu card, like write on it. I know it sounds silly, but I think too hard about the ‘what if's"

 

                           
                                          CIMG7482-1.jpg picture by CheetahAngel81

 

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october_2010 , connecticut
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auntofthebride Posts : 9,357 Registered: 4/2/06
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 10:41 AM Go to message in response to: CheetahAngel

Dear CA,

". Also what if the mail carrier or someone decides to be mean and mess with the menu card, like write on it."

What do you mean by "menu card"?

I'm not sure we are on the same page.

A typical RSVP card simply has the guest's name, the number attending and the meal preference.

"Mr Joe Smith ____ accepts ______ declines Meal preference ______chicken _____ beef _____vegetarian"

That's it. Thus, you can tell the caterer "50 chickens, 40 beefs and 10 veggies".

A menu card is, typically, placed at each place setting at the reception itself, with a list of the courses. That does not go through the mail.

Do you have something else in mind?

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PharmToxGirl Posts : 5,462 Registered: 8/30/07
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 11:33 AM Go to message in response to: CheetahAngel

CA - I'm really doubtful of that being an issue. And I'm pretty sure it's illegal - most postal employees would not want to lose their job over that.

Just keep in mind that they put a bar code sticker on the bottom of the postcard and stamp the top - so make sure the info you need is centered in the middle of the card so you have nothing obscuring the choices (you could always call someone to verify, but I figure an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure).

 

 

 

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CheetahAngel Posts : 2,017 Registered: 11/29/08
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 11:49 AM Go to message in response to: auntofthebride

Yea I guess I called the RSVP the menu card. My guests will have 3 food choices to pick from. Pharm made a good point with the postmarkings. I think I may just get envelopes to have a peace of mind lol.


CIMG7482-1.jpg picture by CheetahAngel81

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october_2010 , connecticut
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Agape14 Posts : 201 Registered: 12/31/08
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 2:01 PM Go to message in response to: CheetahAngel

Cheetah,

We have meal choices as well, and that's one of the main reasons we're not doing RSVP cards (besides the cost, and waste of paper etc).

In our case, having to have a space for each guest to indicate their meal preference just wasn't practical. Say you have a family of 4, two teenages and two parents, not only do I need to know how many want meal X and how many want meal Y, I also need to know who wants what since they're not necessarily being seated together (and the caterer would need to know where to bring the various meals).

So the card would have to have a space for each person's name accepts/regrets, and also a line for meal X and meal Y. Can you imagine how big the card would have to be for any families! hahaha.

Anyway, that totally swayed my decision to just have a phone and online RSVP system.


~~Life's tough, wear a cup~~

rsvp_methods
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auntofthebride Posts : 9,357 Registered: 4/2/06
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 2:51 PM Go to message in response to: Agape14

Ladies,

" (and the caterer would need to know where to bring the various meals). "

Here is where you really need to coordinate with your caterer. A common system is to put a colored sticker on the back of the person's placecard or tablecard. That way the caterer knows that green=chicken, blue=beef (etc).

Do exactly what your caterer requests. They have it down to a science.

***

Having said that, my husband and I often order different meals, then switch between the two of us. I detest mushrooms and he loves them. Thus, if one meal comes out loaded with mushrooms, we just pull the old switcheroo and no one knows the difference. I mention this as it is a good idea to seat married couples at the same table. If you need to split up a married couple (head table seating, etc), you might want to have a quiet word with them to see if there are any meal switching issues out there.

You may also hear from guests who have special dietary needs: diabetic, allergies, kosher, etc. They need to make their needs known to you, then you discuss it with the caterer. The caterer will know now to handle it, and how to identify the special diet guest so they get their special meal.

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CheetahAngel Posts : 2,017 Registered: 11/29/08
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 3:39 PM Go to message in response to: auntofthebride

Oh boy I never even thought about big families! I am confused now....

I have about 3 semi big families with kids. How can I know if a kid is put down on the menu? Also, I'm assuming that I give the grand total of chicken, beef, etc to the venue and then when wedding day comes they ask the guests at each table what they ordered. The color coding thing seems confusing to me...

 

                           
                                          CIMG7482-1.jpg picture by CheetahAngel81

 

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october_2010 , connecticut
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agd1017 Posts : 464 Registered: 9/14/09
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 4:25 PM Go to message in response to: CheetahAngel

Cheetah- from my understanding of the whole thing, if you do assigned seating, you give the caterer a copy of the seating arrangement, and there will be some sort of color coding done on that- to tell the caterer and servers what each person at each seat is eating, so that the server does not have to ask each person, they simply place the desired meal in front of the guest.

Amanda and Eric
10/10/10

Amanda and Eric

 

las_vegas_3368 , october_2010 , connecticut
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auntofthebride Posts : 9,357 Registered: 4/2/06
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 5:36 PM Go to message in response to: CheetahAngel

Dear CA,

Mrs M explained exactly what I have seen at a gazillion banquets, weddings, work-related parties, etc.

Important (and I repeat): The caterer already has their own system. They have one uniform system so their employees are used to the system, party after party after party. It would be very confusing to be a server at Party One, where green=chicken, then Party Two the next night where green=veggie, then something else the next night.

Usually they use little round stickers like you can get at an office supply store. For a wedding, the colored sticker goes on the back of the place card. At a work-related banquet, the sticker goes on the person's name tag.

Either way, that insures that the same number of meals ordered is the same number prepared and the same number served.

As Mrs M said, people CAN and DO forget what they ordered! That happens all the time. During the meal service, people are busy yakking with their tablemates, so the servers don't want to take the time to say "Are you chicken or beef?". They just want to plop the correct dish in front of the person, and move on. I almost never remember what I ordered, just that I get something different for me and for my husband, due to the Dreaded Mushroom issue.

You caterer may give you colored stickers, or might give you little chicken or cow drawings (I've seen that). Mrs M's caterer allowed colored ribbons. (I've never seen ribbons, but that should work great.) You need to do exactly what they tell you to do. It will be chaos if you invent your own system that does not work for the caterer employees.

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PharmToxGirl Posts : 5,462 Registered: 8/30/07
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 5:55 PM Go to message in response to: auntofthebride

Important (and I repeat): The caterer already has their own system.

I work catering part time. Definitely discuss WITH your caterer. At the last wedding I worked, there was a picture of a cow, chicken, mushroom or crab on each seating card to indicate what entree people had ordered.

The seats were not assigned but the tables were. When we went to serve, we paraded out to the table, and placed the plates in front of who had ordered what - we moved around the table until we found a person and then paraded out.

This is how MY catering company chose to work it.

Personally, this seemed to work well and no one complained - and as a catering person TRUST ME I hear people COMPLAIN. LOL

Assigned seating at the table would in theory make it easier for the servers, but that's not always true either.

Find out which your catering company prefers and go from there.

Also, people change their orders - they decide something else looks good so then they claim that they had ordered that and their placecard is wrong.

Again, happens ALL the time. Lovely, Huh?

 

 

 

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CheetahAngel Posts : 2,017 Registered: 11/29/08
Re: RSVP cards
Posted: Jun 21, 2010 7:29 PM Go to message in response to: PharmToxGirl

Makes me wish that we had gone with a buffet for the wedding!! lol.

So when do I discuss this with my venue? Should I wait until I send out the invitations?

 

                           
                                          CIMG7482-1.jpg picture by CheetahAngel81

 

Daisypath Wedding tickers

Visit my wedding website http://www.mywedding.com/alanandjarlyn

Sign my guestbook!!! :)

connecticut , october_2010
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