What to Do When Guests Don’t RSVP

Once a week, our resident experts Mindy Lockard and Coryanne Ettiene will weigh in with helpful advice to help the modern host tackle even the stickiest of situations with grace. Have a question you want answered? Send us an email with your dilemma, and then check back every week for new tips and advice.

This week’s question:

The weather is still warm enough for entertaining in a relaxed, summertime-style. However, I am hosting a more formal dinner party next week and some of my guests have not RSVP'd. How should I handle this?

Mindy: It's perfectly acceptable as the host to pick up the phone and make some calls — in a gracious way of course. Whether the invite was sent by snail mail or by email, there is always a chance that the invite was lost. Calling “to make sure they received it, and to find out if they can make it,” is a gracious gesture that will also guarantee you get an answer.

Coryanne: Sadly, the RSVP is slowly turning into a thing of the past when it comes to entertaining at home. The best way around this is to include a “please respond by” date on your invitation. If this still falls on deaf ears, follow Mindy’s advice and follow up with a phone call and to say you hope they can make it. Most people will immediately apologize for this and be sure to RSVP promptly the next time.  

About Our Experts: Mindy Lockard is The Gracious Girl and offers traditional etiquette advice with a modern gracious twist. Coryanne Ettiene believes entertaining at home should be an everyday affair; she shares contemporary advice for modern living at Housewife Bliss.

Click here to see more tips and advice from our experts. 

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