Inviting Families... response card

[aprilcait]

We''re printing our own invitations and I was wondering what we should do, in regards to invitation formatting, for those guests we invite with their children. We have a standard invitation response card with a name space and entree selection section for two people (see below for response card text). Any invited children would be young enough for childrens'' meals (the two teens we''re inviting will get their own invitations), so the entree selection isn''t exactly an issue there, but we still need to know whether or not the kiddos will be attending. So, my wonderful, fabulous PSers, what did you do, what have you seen done, what do you plan to do, or what would you suggest doing for these family invitations?

Response
The favor of a reply is requested by the first of March 2008.

M ______________________
Please place a check mark next to your entree preference.
Grilled fillet mignon with Pinot Nor reduction
Grilled atlantic salmon with citru balsamic glaze

M ______________________
Please place a check mark next to your entree preference.
Grilled fillet mignon with Pinot Nor reduction
Grilled atlantic salmon with citru balsamic glaze

 

[misysu2]

You may want to add an additional line that says something like, "___ will be attending" That way you know how many kiddies will be there.

 

[april diamonds]

I was going to do something like Misyusu2 is suggesting, but I was going to write " __ out of __ guests will be attending" That way people know how many were actually invited and I''ll know how many are coming. I''ll just fill in the number for each RSVP card.

 

[aprilcait]

Great ideas, ladies! Thank you for your advice.

Where should I place the "__ will be attending" or "__out of ___ guests will be attending"? Before or after the "M ______________________ Please place a check mark next to your entree preference..." area?

 

[kimberlina13]

If you''ve got room, maybe you could add a line for how many children''s meals will be required?

 

[aprilcait]

Ooo! Good point, Kimberlina!

 

[misysu2]

I think I would do something like this:

____ steak

____ fish

____ children''s meal

 

[kimberlina13]

I thought about that option as well, but the only problem I would forsee is that you wouldn''t know who was getting what. Like if one person wanted fish and one person wanted steak, and all they put was the number 1, the wait staff wouldn''t know who was getting what.

 

[misysu2]

That''s true. I guess it would only work if you were having a buffet.

 

[april diamonds]

I know in some cases the reason people are asking what entree they prefer is to simply get the spread of dishes to make for the caterer. Not necesarrily which person is going to get which dish.

If you wanted to know in that detail and you have the space on the card you could write out each persons name and then the entree choices beneath it.
Something like this...

Mr. X __ will attend __ will not attend
__ chicken __ beef __ vegetarian

Mrs. X __ will attend __ will not attend
__ chicken __ beef __ vegetarian

__ children''s meals

 

[labbielove]

we prepped our own rsvp''s and had them printed off.
the best thing we did was ''customize'' the rsvp card with each person''s name who was invited

we used a Word table with 3 columns (no grids showed on the rsvp)
you could add a 3rd&4th column for meal choice,

column 1, their name (we used only first names, but you could be more formal)
column 2 Accepts, with a blank line or box for them to check if they are a yes
column 3 Declines, with a blank line or box for them to check if they are a no
column 4 Beef
column 4 Fish

Once you set up one page of the doc (with 4 or 6 cards) it''s easy to copy and paste and then change the names.
Our guests loved the personalized rsvp''s and we totally avoided the issue of how many were invited,etc.
(we originally came up with the idea because we had no inner envelopes, but it worked out well all around)

If you would like a copy of the template we used please let me know and I can email it.