What is the difference between an RSVP and just regret?
As the use of Regrets-Only becomes more popular, there are still a number of people who haven’t been exposed to redaction, how the process works, or what it means in general. Most people are still used to RSVP. Both terms serve to let the host know how to prepare for the number of guests in two very different ways.
RSVP is a French word that means Respondez Sil Vous Plait which translates to please reply in English. The purpose of an RSVP is for guests to let the host know whether or not they will be attending the function. This process is a means of capturing how many guests a host can expect, allowing for the preparation of food, beverages, seating, and entertainment, to name a few. Without an RSVP, a host would be blindly planning their party and could end up with too little or too much of the items listed above, greatly affecting the guest experience. A host never wants to be left without anything because they are not prepared and a guest never wants to arrive and have nothing to drink, snack or sit on. A compliment to the host would be if everything is devoured because it was delicious and beautifully presented, not because too many people showed up for the amount provided. As you can see, it is very important that guests respond to an RSVP, as it actually benefits them in the long run.
Regrets-Only, usually found in the RSVP location on invitations, means invitees only need to contact the host to let them know that they are unfortunately unable to attend the event they were invited to. Using Regrets-Only is a method when a host decides to plan an event as everyone attending. All preparations for the function are specific to the total number of guests that the hosts have invited. In my opinion, this allows for a certain level of freedom, as you can simply prepare without waiting for RSVP’s if you wish. Most hosts who choose this method are comfortable with the number of guests they’ve decided to invite, whether or not they receive an invitation decline.
Both methods require and should require a date and time for the guests to respond, so the host knows what to expect in terms of the number of guests. A phone number, email, or some form of contact should also be included to allow guests to respond in kind.
As mentioned above, this process is for both the guests and the host. Moving on to the next RSVP or Regrets-Only you receive, you should definitely respond.