Birthday Party RSVP Etiquette: Getting Everyone To Respond
Organising a kids birthday party can take a lot of planning, and you want to ensure that the effort is worthwhile. This means making sure that your guests all follow birthday party RSVP etiquette – but what is the right etiquette for kids parties, and what are the best ways to make sure your guests show up?
As the experts in all things party planning, we’re here to offer some advice based on the thousands of successful parties we’ve helped parents throw across the UK. From the best kinds of invite to send out, to what timelines you should be working towards, here’s everything that you need to know.
How do you ask for an RSVP confirmation to your birthday party?
The best way to ask for RSVPs to your child’s birthday is to give parents plenty of time to respond, and offer lots of ways that they can do so.
We’d recommend sending your party invites out at least 3-4 weeks before your event takes place. That way, parents have time to work out their schedules and get back to you before you start worrying whether their children are attending. You might also want to send out both digital and physical versions of your invites, so that you’re sure they’ve been received by your guests.
It’s also a good idea to offer a number of ways that they can let you know. These can include:
- By phone: Ask them to give you a quick call to confirm either way by putting your number on the invite
- By text: You could ask parents to text you, or set up a WhatsApp group once the invites have gone out, so that you can keep track of your guest list with ease
- In person: If you’re frequently seeing parents on the school run or at kids clubs, give them the option of letting you know face-to-face. Make sure to keep a note of their response, though!
With all of these options, it should be clear when you’d like parents to RSVP to your party. It’s no good finding out who is and isn’t coming the day before (or even the day of) your event, because you’ll need to let suppliers know how many kids are coming. You’ll also need to plan enough food to feed everybody.
Instead, we’d suggest setting a deadline 1-2 weeks before the event itself. This leaves enough time for you to finalise your planning, and gives any stragglers a chance to get back to you a few days later.
What if I receive late RSVPs to the birthday party?
Late RSVPs happen, for one reason or another. Maybe your guests have a lot going on and just forgot to respond. Or, as is often the case, maybe your hand-delivered invites have been sitting at the bottom of a child’s rucksack since they were given out!
The best way to overcome late RSVPs is to give parents a friendly nudge near your deadline. This can be a few days before or even a day or so after – as long as you still have ample time to iron everything out ahead of your event.
Also, make sure to speak with your suppliers (such as your entertainers) about when they’d need to know final numbers, and what happens if your guest list changes as your party nears. Accommodations can often be made, just as long as everybody’s on the same page with your party planning.
Some guests have given no RSVP to my birthday party – what now?
If you receive no RSVP to your party from certain guests, you have a decision to make about whether you’d like to still try and accommodate any unexpected arrivals once the party comes around.
This often comes down to one of two options:
- Assume they’re not coming: If somebody provides no RSVP to your party, you have the option of assuming they aren’t coming. This means not buying extra food just in case, and letting your suppliers know an exact number that is comprised of those who have responded.
- Assume they might turn up: If you’re opting for a glass-half-full approach to party planning, you might choose to pack some extras just in case unexpected guests do arrive. This includes bringing along some extra party bags for stragglers, and preparing a few more platefuls of food.
Additional considerations for birthday party RSVP etiquette
If you’re looking to get as many RSVPs back as possible, here are a few considerations that could help your party planning go smoothly:
Don’t throw your party in busy season
This can mean different things for different people, but it’s generally a good idea to avoid the busiest times of the year when deciding on a date for your birthday party. Naturally, most kids will have their birthday party on their birthday itself, but if your child was born near dates like Christmas, it’s worth considering a 6-month party that takes place halfway through the year instead.
Joint parties can maximise attendance
If your child is quite shy, they might not have many friends that they would like to invite compared to other kids. This is absolutely fine, but you could partner up with other parents who have a child born around the same time and throw a joint birthday party with twice the number of guests. This ensures that you receive plenty of RSVPs and have a big party atmosphere; perfect for dancing and games!
Don’t feel obligated to invite the full class
Depending on whether your child has an established social circle, it may sometimes be tempting to invite their full class to the party. Unfortunately, this often leads to a fair few no-shows or late RSVPs – especially if they don’t speak to all their classmates on a regular basis. Instead, start by planning a specific guest list with your child, and only resort to mass invites if necessary.
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