Have a question about addressing your invitation envelopes? Curious about a particular custom? Wondering how to actually get your guests to send their response cards back? You get the idea. Send us your questions, and we'll try to provide as many answers here as we can!

Click here to write and ask the Wedding Centre your questions!

We will publish answers to as many questions as we can. If you would like to be notified that your question has been answered here, please include an email address where you can be contacted. By sending us your question, you are granting permission for us to publish your question on this page. Please be aware that your questions may be edited before publication.

For guests who plan to attend, this wording informs them that you need to know how many people to expect. For those who cannot attend, the final line indicates that they should send the response card back anyway. (The specific wording of the response card should be adapted to fit your particular situation...we'll be happy to help!) If your response cards are folders (as opposed to single cards), another way to encourage responses is to tuck the back part of the folder into the response envelopes. This seems to make people aware that there actually is a response envelope, and that they should fill out the card and send it back. It sounds odd, but it does seem to help (and it can't hurt). And don't forget to put a stamp on the response envelope! If you are preparing your response cards in advance, make sure that the rate for a first class letter will not be changing before you mail them out (this is true for your invitations as well, but also check the price for additional ounces, as most invitations require at least one extra stamp). One final tip...don't mail your invitations too soon (or set the response date too early). This may sound counterintuitive, but people often don't know what they will be doing months in advance, and are likely to set your response card aside until they find out. And they are just as likely to forget to do so. Response dates are typically two to three weeks before the event, and invitations are usually mailed about a month before the response date. A response date of four weeks prior or earlier is not recommended unless there is a specific reason (e.g., a destination wedding) for the earlier date.  

In situations where there isn't enough time for a mailed response, a telephone or email response may be appropriate, although it is a more informal alternative. This information is usually added at the bottom left of the invitation, although other formats are available. Remember to include the area code(s)! The response wording will vary depending on the situation and the time remaining before the event. Some possibilities are: