The All Mighty RSVP

Something that I was not forseeing when planning this whirlwind of a wedding was the importance of the RSVP. People act very strange when invited to an event like a wedding. I had no idea until it was MY wedding just how wacky people can get.

Here's just a few comments I've heard regarding the wedding:


* "Out of 52 weekends in the year you pick the ONE that I'm going hunting in Montana!"
* "Why in the world are you getting married in IOWA! Driving through cornfields for 5 hours is the last thing we want to do."
* "We can't afford to come, with the gas prices and the hotel rooms, it's just too much."
* "If you would have picked Vegas as the location we TOTALLY would have gone!" (this was actually said immediately after the previous statement)
* "Thanksgiving weekend is the DUMBEST time to get married - it's the biggest shopping weekend of the year!!"
* "Is the date firm? Because I told my girlfriend that we'd spend Thanksgiving with her family this year."
* "Do we actually have to send you the RSVP in the mail? Can't we just tell you we're not coming?"
* "You'll be so busy, you won't even know that we're not there."

I could go on and on. The comments get more and more ridiculous as time goes on. One thing I find that people really want from us is for us to beg them to attend. Like we couldn't possibly live another day if they weren't at our wedding. This is usually coming from mere acquaintances who really we invited as a courtesy.

If you're invited to a wedding - please do the following:

* RSVP promptly - yes in the mail, yes with the envelope that was provided.
* Write legibly on the RSVP. If sending regrets, write a little note like, "Congrats! Sorry we can't make it."
* Do not write in the note why you can't make it - they don't care really - especially if it's for any of the reasons listed above. They just need to know if they're going to have to pay $30 for your meal.
* If you RSVP that you're coming - DO NOT change your mind and not tell them. They will have to pay for you if you don't show up. So please let them know no later than 1 week prior to the event if you've had a change of plans.
* This day is not about you (unless you're the one getting married). The decision of the date, time, and location were thought about in great detail and weren't just a whim that the bride/groom where on that day. There are reasons they selected the things that they did and chances are - it has nothing to do with your hunting schedule.

endrant.