# RSVP Wording for Weddings (UK): Examples for RSVP Cards, Wedding Websites and Polite Reminders URL: https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/journal/wedding-rsvp-wording-uk · Updated 2026-10-20 · By Beth **Short answer:** Good wedding RSVP wording asks for three things: who is replying, whether they can come and a reply-by date. Add menu choices, dietary requirements or a song request if you need them. Keep the tone the same as your invitation, from “accepts with pleasure” to “Yes, we can’t wait!”, and give an online option too. RSVP wording is the smallest card in your invitation suite and the one that does the most work. Get it right and replies arrive on time with everything your caterer needs; get it wrong and you’ll spend June texting cousins about the chicken. This guide gives you RSVP wording for every kind of wedding, from formal to funny, plus the questions worth asking, how to word an online RSVP or QR code, and how to chase the last few replies without awkwardness. ## What to put on a wedding RSVP card Every RSVP card needs three things. Everything else is optional, and every extra question is one more thing for guests to forget, so only ask what you’ll actually use. | On the card | Do you need it? | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | Guest names | **Always** | So you know who replied, even if the envelope gets separated | | Accept or decline | **Always** | Two tick boxes are quickest for guests | | Reply-by date | **Always** | Without one, replies drift for months | | Number attending | If plus ones or families are invited | Avoids surprise extra guests | | Menu choices | If your caterer needs choices in advance | Your place cards and caterer depend on it | | Dietary requirements | Almost always | Allergies matter far more than preferences | | Song request | Optional | Fun, and gives your DJ or band a playlist | | How else to reply | Worth adding | An email or website for guests who lose the card | ![Grace wildflower RSVP card with a names line, tick boxes for ‘Yes, we’ll be there!’ and ‘We’ll toast from afar’ and ‘Please kindly reply by 16.03.2025’, beside the main invitation and a details card on a pink envelope](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/products/grace-wildflower-wedding-invitation-set/grace-wildflower-wedding-invitation-set-4.jpg) Keep the RSVP card for replies only. Accommodation, dress code and gift list belong on a details card, which our [details card guide](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/journal/what-to-put-on-wedding-details-card) covers in full. ## RSVP wording examples for wedding invitations Match the RSVP to the tone of your invitation. If your invitation says “request the pleasure of your company”, a jokey RSVP will jar; if it says “come and party with us”, “declines with regret” will feel stiff. ### Formal RSVP wording Formal: > The favour of a reply is requested > by Saturday the first of May > > Name(s) ______________________ > ☐ Accepts with pleasure > ☐ Declines with regret Traditional (no reply card): > R.S.V.P. > [Your name] > [Your address] > by 1st May 2027 Strictly traditional British etiquette had guests write their own reply by letter, so very formal invitations simply print “R.S.V.P.” and a return address in the bottom left corner. It looks elegant, but most guests now expect a card or an online option, so we’d only use it for a small, formal wedding. ### Classic RSVP wording Classic: > R.S.V.P. > Please let us know whether you’re able to join us > > Name(s) ______________________ > ☐ Joyfully accepts > ☐ Regretfully declines > > Please kindly reply by 1st May 2027 ### Relaxed and modern RSVP wording Relaxed: > Can you make it? > Name(s) ______________________ > ☐ Yes, we’ll be there! > ☐ We’ll toast from afar > Let us know by 1st May 2027 Warm and simple: > We’d love to celebrate with you > Name(s) ______________________ > ☐ Wouldn’t miss it > ☐ Sadly can’t make it, but sending love > Please reply by 1st May 2027 ![Wildflower invitation suite for Isabella Davies and James Lewis with an ‘It’s all in the details’ card and an RSVP card offering ‘Yes, we can’t wait!’ and ‘Sadly can’t make it’, on peach silk ribbon with wax sticks and a ring box](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/products/wildflower-invitation-suite-sample/wildflower-invitation-suite-sample-2.jpg) ### Funny RSVP wording for weddings A little humour on the RSVP is a lovely way to show your personality, as long as the reply options are still obvious at a glance. These are all ours to borrow: Funny: dance floor: > ☐ Count me in, I’ve been practising my moves > ☐ Can’t make it, but I’ll dance in my kitchen in your honour Funny: cake: > ☐ Accepts, and has already earmarked a slice of cake > ☐ Declines, and is sorry to miss the cake Funny: honest: > ☐ Delighted to accept > ☐ Will celebrate from the sofa > > Dietary requirements ______________________ > (allergies, please, not just a dislike of sprouts) ## RSVP card wording with menu choices and dietary requirements If your caterer needs meal choices in advance, the RSVP card is the place to collect them. The clearest layout gives each guest a line and asks for an initial against each dish, so a household of three can reply on one card: Menu choices (initials): > Please write each guest’s initials beside their choice > Starter: Tomato soup ___ / Chicken liver parfait ___ > Main: Roast beef ___ / Wild mushroom risotto ___ > Dessert: Sticky toffee pudding ___ / Lemon tart ___ Dietary requirements: > Please let us know of any allergies or dietary requirements > ______________________ Children’s meals: > Children attending (names and ages, for the children’s menu) > ______________________ Space is tight on a small RSVP card. If you’re offering choices for three courses, list the dishes on your wedding website and ask guests to reply there, or put the choices on the card and keep everything else off it. When the replies are in, our [wedding menu wording guide](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/journal/wedding-menu-wording-ideas-uk) shows how to lay out the menu itself. ## Wedding RSVP questions to ask guests Beyond yes or no, these are the questions couples most often add, with wording for each. Pick one or two; a card with six questions on it is a form, not an RSVP. Song request: > I promise to dance if you play ______________________ Song request (alternative): > Which song will get you on the dance floor? > ______________________ Number attending: > We have reserved ___ seats in your honour > Number attending ___ Plus one: > You’re welcome to bring a guest > Their name ______________________ Evening guests: > Name(s) ______________________ > ☐ Will join you for the evening > ☐ Sadly can’t make it > Please reply by 1st May 2027 so we can plan the evening food Adults only: > We have reserved 2 seats in your honour > As much as we love your little ones, our day will be adults only Transport or accommodation: > Will you be taking the coach from the hotel? > ☐ Yes ☐ No The “seats reserved” line is the politest way to make it clear who is invited without spelling out who isn’t. For more on the wording around children and evening-only guests, see our guides to [adults-only wedding wording](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/journal/adults-only-wedding-wording-uk) and [evening invitation wording](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/journal/evening-wedding-invitation-wording-uk). ## RSVP wording for a wedding website or QR code Online RSVPs are quick for guests and easy for you to total up. You can still include a printed RSVP card for grandparents and anyone who prefers post; just make sure both carry the same reply-by date. On the RSVP or details card: > Kindly reply by 1st May 2027 > online at www.[your-wedding-website].co.uk > or by scanning the code below Printed card and online: > Please return this card by 1st May 2027 > or reply online at www.[your-wedding-website].co.uk On the website’s RSVP page: > We can’t wait to celebrate with you. > Please reply by 1st May 2027, one form per household, > including everyone named on your invitation. A wedding RSVP QR code doesn’t need a full wedding website: it can link straight to a simple online form. Whatever it links to, print the web address underneath for guests who’d rather type, and scan the code on your proof and on a printed copy before you post anything. ## RSVP on the invitation, a separate card or online? | Option | Best for | Watch out for | | --- | --- | --- | | Separate RSVP card | Most weddings, and guests who like to reply by post | You’ll need return envelopes and, ideally, stamps | | RSVP line on the invitation | Small or relaxed weddings with no inserts | It crowds the invitation, so keep it to one line | | RSVP on the details card | Suites without an RSVP card | Say clearly how to reply: email, phone or website | | Website or QR code only | Guests who are all comfortable online | Some older guests will still phone you | If there’s no separate card, one line at the foot of the invitation or details card is all you need: RSVP wording on the invitation: > RSVP by 1st May 2027 to [your email address] ![Pastel wildflower wedding invitation for Thea and Harry at Rosedew Farm beside an ‘It’s in the details’ card with accommodation, an RSVP section asking guests to reply by 16.04.2026 with any dietary requirements, and a wedding website](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/products/pastel-wildflower-wedding-invitation-suite/pastel-wildflower-wedding-invitation-suite-1.jpg) ## Wording your RSVP deadline Set your reply-by date a week or two before your venue needs final numbers. Our [wedding invitation timeline](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/journal/when-to-send-wedding-invitations-uk) explains exactly how to work it out. Then pick the phrasing that suits your suite: - **Formal:** “The favour of a reply is requested by Saturday the first of May.” - **Classic:** “Please kindly reply by 1st May 2027.” - **Relaxed:** “Let us know by 1st May 2027.” - **Firm but friendly:** “Please reply by 1st May 2027, as our venue needs final numbers soon after.” ## RSVP envelopes and postage If you want replies by post, each RSVP card needs its own small envelope, addressed back to you. Our Grace wildflower and watercolour wildflower sets include an A7 RSVP card with its own envelope, and you choose the return envelope colour along with the rest of the suite. - **Address the RSVP envelope to yourselves** before you post the invitations. An address label is quickest. - **Do you put stamps on RSVP envelopes?** It isn’t compulsory, but it’s a kind touch and makes postal replies far more likely. Remember it doubles your stamp count. - **Size:** an A7 RSVP card in its envelope sits comfortably within Royal Mail’s Letter size, so a standard first or second class stamp is right. - **Number your RSVP cards lightly in pencil on the back** and keep a matching list. When a card comes back with an illegible name, you’ll still know who sent it. ![Grace wildflower invitation suite stacked in layers with the RSVP card at the front, the ‘It’s in the details’ card behind and the invitation for Charlie and Jessica at the back, held with a gold clip on a pink envelope](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/products/grace-wildflower-wedding-invitation-set/grace-wildflower-wedding-invitation-set-6.jpg) For the outer envelopes, we can [print each guest’s name](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/shop/envelopes/printed-guest-name-envelopes) in the same font as your invitation, which also makes it obvious who the RSVP card is for. ![Two fanned stacks of dusty blue envelopes printed with guest names in a calligraphy-style script, with white hydrangea petals, brass inkwells, vintage stamps, a dip pen and wax seal stamps](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/products/printed-guest-name-envelopes/printed-guest-name-envelopes-1.jpg) ## How to remind guests to RSVP (with wording) However clear your RSVP wording, a handful of replies will be late. Give it two or three days after your deadline, then send a short, friendly message. Most late repliers have simply forgotten, so keep it light and make it easy to answer. Text message: > Hi Sarah! Hope you’re well. We’re finalising numbers for the wedding this week. > Will you and Tom be able to join us on the 14th? > No worries either way, just let us know by Friday x Email: > Subject: A quick one about our wedding > Hi both, we’re getting our final numbers to the venue and wanted to check > whether you’ll be able to join us on 14th August. > You can reply to this email or on our website. We’d love to see you there. When the venue deadline is close: > Hi James, our venue needs final numbers and menu choices by Monday. > Could you let us know by Saturday whether you can come, and which main you’d like? Final, gentle nudge: > We haven’t managed to catch you about the wedding, so we’ll assume you can’t make it this time. > If plans change before Friday, just let us know. We’d still love to see you. Share the chasing. Ask each set of parents to message their own side of the family; a nudge from an aunt lands better than one from the couple. ## RSVP wording mistakes to avoid - No reply-by date, or a date after your venue’s final-numbers deadline. - Different dates on the RSVP card, the details card and your website. - A names line too short for a family of four. - Asking menu choices without saying which guest chose what. - A QR code that hasn’t been tested on a printed proof. - Forgetting to address the RSVP envelopes before posting the invitations. ## Invitation suites with matching RSVP cards Every suite is personalised with your own RSVP wording, and you’ll check it on a digital proof before anything is printed. Our [Grace wildflower set](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/shop/wedding-invitations/grace-wildflower-wedding-invitation-set) and [watercolour wildflower set](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/shop/wedding-invitations/watercolour-wildflower-wedding-invitation) include an A7 RSVP card and envelope, and the full suite of our [autumn floral barn owl invitation](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/shop/wedding-invitations/autumn-floral-barn-owl-wedding-invitation) includes an RSVP card. Want to see the card size in your hand first? A sample pack shows the invitation, details card and RSVP together. Questions: - **What do you write on a wedding RSVP card?** Guest names, a choice to accept or decline, and a reply-by date. Add menu choices, dietary requirements, the number attending or a song request only if you need them, and an email or website for guests who lose the card. - **What does RSVP mean on a wedding invitation?** RSVP stands for “répondez s’il vous plaît”, French for “please reply”. It asks guests to let you know whether they can come, ideally by the date printed on the card. - **How do you word an RSVP on a wedding invitation without a separate card?** Add one line at the foot of the invitation or details card, such as “RSVP by 1st May 2027 to [your email address]” or “Kindly reply online at [your website] by 1st May 2027”. - **How do you ask for menu choices on an RSVP card?** List the dishes for each course and ask guests to write their initials beside their choice. That way one card covers the whole household, and you know exactly who ordered what for the place cards. - **Do you put stamps on RSVP envelopes in the UK?** It isn’t compulsory, but stamping the RSVP envelope is a courteous touch and makes postal replies more likely. An A7 RSVP card in its envelope normally needs a standard Letter stamp. Online replies cost nothing. - **Can I use a QR code for wedding RSVPs?** Yes. A QR code can link to your wedding website or a simple online form. Print the web address underneath too, and test the code on your proof and on a printed copy before posting. - **How do you politely remind guests to RSVP?** Wait two or three days after the deadline, then send a short, friendly text or email saying you’re finalising numbers and asking them to let you know by a specific day. Keep it light; most late guests have simply forgotten. - **What is a good funny RSVP wording for a wedding?** Keep the options clear and the joke gentle, for example “☐ Count me in, I’ve been practising my moves” and “☐ Can’t make it, but I’ll dance in my kitchen in your honour”. --- Web page: https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/journal/wedding-rsvp-wording-uk · Contact: gracefulstudiouk@gmail.com · Full catalogue: https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/llms-full.txt