Wedding RSVP wording: 38 examples to copy

The RSVP is the only part of the invitation that asks guests to do something, and it is the part couples write last, in ten minutes, the night before the suite goes to the printer or the link goes out. The result is a card that forgets to ask about allergies, a deadline written as "as soon as possible," and forty guests who never reply.

This guide gives you the lines to copy: formal and casual requests, the meal, plus-one, dietary and song lines, the adults-only version, deadline phrasing that guests respect, the questions worth asking on an online RSVP, six reminder messages for the silent ones, and what to do with the replies that arrive late.

Five rules before you write

1. One request, one date

"Kindly reply by May 1, 2027" does more than any paragraph. A full date, including the year for a wedding planned far ahead, and no "ASAP" or "at your earliest convenience," which guests read as "whenever."

2. The deadline is three to four weeks before the wedding

Caterers want final numbers two weeks out, and you will spend the week before that chasing the last replies. Three to four weeks gives you that margin. For a destination wedding, where guests book flights and hotels, ask six to eight weeks ahead, and pair it with an early save the date. Our guide on when to send wedding invitations gives the full timeline.

3. Ask only what you will use

Every question on the card is a question you must read, sort and act on for a hundred guests. Meal choice matters if the caterer needs it. Allergies always matter. A song request is a pleasure if your DJ plays them and a chore if not.

4. Name the seats, not the rule

"We have reserved two seats in your honor" settles the plus-one question without a sentence about additional guests. On a card, write the number. On a digital form, the household's names and seats appear on their own.

5. Match the invitation's tone

A formal invitation in the third person ("request the honor of your presence") takes a formal RSVP. A first-name invitation that says "come dance with us" takes a reply card that sounds like you. The wedding invitation wording guide sets the tone; the RSVP follows it.

Wedding RSVP wording: 38 examples by situation

A printed reply card uses "M___" as the line where guests write their names with their chosen title. An online form replaces it with the names already filled in. Each example below works in both places unless noted.

Formal RSVP wording

1. The favor of a reply is requested by the first of May. M___ ___ accepts with pleasure ___ declines with regret.

2. Kindly respond by May 1, 2027. M___ ___ will attend ___ will be unable to attend.

3. Please reply by the fifteenth of April. M___ ___ joyfully accepts ___ regretfully declines. Number of guests attending: ___

4. We would be honored by your reply before April 15, 2027. ___ We will be delighted to attend. ___ We are unable to attend but send our warmest wishes.

5. Your reply is kindly requested by May 1. Name(s): ___ ___ Accepts the invitation ___ Declines with regret.

Casual RSVP wording

6. Please reply by May 1. ___ Count us in! ___ Sorry, we can't make it.

7. Let us know by April 20: ___ We'll be there with bells on. ___ We'll be there in spirit.

8. RSVP by May 1, 2027. ___ Yes, save us a seat. ___ No, but we'll raise a glass from afar.

9. Can you join us? Reply by April 15. ___ Absolutely. ___ Sadly, no.

10. We hope you can come. Please tell us by May 1: ___ Wouldn't miss it ___ Can't be there this time

Fun RSVP wording

11. Reply by May 1. ___ Will be there, dancing shoes on. ___ Will be there in spirit, from the couch.

12. Please check one: ___ Yes! Pass the champagne. ___ No, but save me a slice of cake. Reply by April 20.

13. RSVP by May 1. ___ We'll be the first on the dance floor. ___ We'll be the first to regret missing it.

14. Tell us by April 15: ___ Yes, and we're bringing our best moves. ___ No, we'll be living vicariously through the photos.

RSVP wording with meal choice

15. Please indicate your entree selection: ___ Herb-roasted chicken ___ Pan-seared salmon ___ Wild mushroom risotto (vegetarian). Kindly reply by May 1.

16. Please initial your choice: ___ Beef tenderloin ___ Branzino ___ Garden vegetable plate. One selection per guest.

17. Dinner is served family style; please tell us if you prefer the vegetarian menu: ___ Yes, for ___ guest(s) ___ No, thank you. Reply by April 20.

On a digital form, ask the meal question once per guest in the household, so that Sarah can choose the salmon while Tom takes the beef. A single dropdown for the whole party produces a count the caterer cannot use.

RSVP wording with a plus-one line

18. We have reserved two seats in your honor. Please reply by May 1: ___ seats will be filled.

19. We have reserved ___ seat(s) in your honor. Name(s) of guest(s) attending: ___

20. You are welcome to bring a guest. Please share their name so we can prepare their place card: ___

Example 20 is for guests who truly have a plus-one. For the rest, examples 18 and 19 state the number and nothing else. If you also need to say that children are not invited, our no-kids wording guide has 35 versions of that line; the RSVP itself stays about seats.

RSVP wording with a song request

21. A song that will get you on the dance floor: ___

22. Help us build the playlist. One song you cannot sit through: ___

RSVP wording with a dietary line

23. Please note any dietary restrictions or allergies: ___

24. Let us know about allergies or dietary needs so we can take care of you: ___ (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut allergy, other)

Ask this one always, even at a buffet. Severe allergies are the question that cannot wait until the guest sits down.

Adults-only RSVP wording

25. We have reserved two seats in your honor for an adults-only celebration. Please reply by May 1.

26. Due to limited space, we are unable to accommodate additional guests. ___ of 2 seats will be filled.

Deadline phrasing

27. Kindly reply by Saturday, May 1, 2027.

28. The favor of a reply is requested by the first of May, two thousand twenty-seven.

29. Please respond by April 15 so we can finalize arrangements with our caterer.

30. For our destination wedding in Positano, please reply by March 1, 2027, so that we can confirm rooms and transfers for you.

Example 30 is the destination version: the deadline moves earlier, and the reason is stated, because guests who understand why reply faster.

The questions worth asking on an online RSVP

A printed card has room for two questions. An online form has room for twelve, which is why most couples ask too many. These are the ones that save you work, in the order that earns their place.

Skip the postal address if you are not sending thank-you cards by mail, skip "how do you know the couple" unless the seating chart depends on it, and never ask for a gift preference on the RSVP.

The RSVP on a digital invitation

With our digital invitations, the RSVP is a form at the bottom of the invitation page. Each household opens its own link; the form shows the names and seats you assigned to that household, asks the questions you chose, and sends every reply to a private dashboard where you read them, filter by meal or by event, and export the list for the caterer and the seating chart. No reply card to lose in the mail, no spreadsheet to retype. The invitation and its RSVP are included in every plan from $69; see how it works and the pricing page for the details.

The wording on a digital form is shorter than on a card, because the form itself does part of the talking: the deadline sits above the buttons, the names are already there, and each guest answers in turn.

Form header. We hope you can celebrate with us. Please reply by May 1, 2027. We have reserved 2 seats for you.

Buttons. Joyfully accepts / Regretfully declines

Closing line. Thank you. You can come back to this page any time to change your answer before May 1.

The three lines above are the frame; the questions from the table fill the middle. These designs leave room for the form without crowding the invitation itself.

The message that carries the link

Send the invitation link with two or three sentences that say what it is, when to reply, and that the form is on the page.

Message with the link. Dear Hannah and Luis, our wedding invitation is here: (link). Everything is on the page, including the RSVP form; we'd love your answer by May 1. With love, Clara and Victor.

Six reminder messages for guests who haven't replied

Send the first one a few days before the deadline, to everyone still silent, by email or text. Send the later ones personally, one guest at a time, after the deadline passes. Each is ready to copy.

31. Gentle, before the deadline. Hi Priya, a quick note from us: the RSVP deadline for our wedding is this Saturday, May 1. Here is the link to reply in a minute: (link). We hope to see you on June 12.

32. Warm, before the deadline. Hello to everyone we haven't heard from yet! We're finalizing the guest list this week and would love to know whether you'll be with us on June 12. The form takes a minute: (link). Thank you.

33. Light, before the deadline. Our caterer is asking how many plates to prepare and we'd rather not guess. Could you reply by Saturday? (link). Chicken, salmon or risotto: the choice is yours.

34. Personal, after the deadline. Hi Marcus, we're finalizing the numbers with the caterer tomorrow. Can you let us know whether you and Dana will be with us on June 12? No pressure either way; we just need to know.

35. Firm but kind, after the deadline. Hi Elena, we have to give our final count on Friday. If we don't hear from you by then, we'll assume you're not able to come, and we'll miss you. Here is the link if you'd like to reply: (link).

36. For a close friend or family member, by phone or text. Hey, it's me. I haven't seen your RSVP come through, and I want to make sure you have a seat. Are you two coming on the 12th? Call me when you can.

On a digital RSVP, your dashboard shows who has opened the invitation and who has replied, so the reminder goes to the right people and nobody who already said yes receives it. A reminder sent to a guest who replied three weeks ago is the one message that annoys.

What to do with late replies

Late replies come in three kinds, and each has a line.

37. Late, but the caterer can still add a plate. Thank you for letting us know; we're so glad you can come. We've added you to the list and the caterer has your choice. See you on June 12.

38. Too late for dinner, but not for the party. We're so happy you want to be there. Our dinner count closed last week, so we can't add a plate, but the ceremony at 4 p.m. and the dancing from 9 p.m. are open to you, and we'd love to see you at both.

For the guest who never replies and shows up anyway, the fix is logistics, not wording: ask the caterer for two or three spare plates, keep one spare place card blank, and let the day go on.

Mistakes that cost you replies

• No deadline, or a vague one. "Please RSVP" with no date gets forgotten. "ASAP" gets ignored. Write the date.
• A deadline too close to the wedding. If the caterer needs numbers on June 1, an RSVP date of May 29 leaves you two days to chase a quarter of the list. Three to four weeks before the wedding is the rule.
• The "M___" line with no explanation. Older guests know it; many younger guests do not. On a card, "Name(s)" is clearer. On a form, the names are already there.
• Too many questions. A form with twelve fields loses guests at field seven. Attendance, meal, allergies, then only what you will use.
• A plus-one line for guests who have none. "Name of guest" on every card invites the question. State the seats instead.
• Asking for gifts or money on the RSVP. That line belongs on the website or the details page, phrased with care; our guide to asking for money instead of gifts gives the wordings.
• A reminder to everyone, including those who replied. Filter the list first. A dashboard does this for you; a spreadsheet needs a column.

Keep one voice from card to reminder

Choose a register, formal or casual, and keep it from the invitation to the last reminder: "the favor of a reply is requested" pairs with "accepts with pleasure," while "let us know by May 1" pairs with "count us in." The invitation does the inviting; the RSVP only has to ask one question clearly and give guests a date.