RSVP meaning: what it stands for and how to reply to a wedding invitation

RSVP means "please reply". It is short for the French répondez s'il vous plaît, literally "respond, if you please". On a wedding invitation it asks you to tell the couple whether you're coming, by the date printed beside it, so they can give their caterer an exact headcount. A "no" matters as much as a "yes".

Want to see what a modern RSVP looks like from the guest's side? Open this sample invitation and answer its RSVP form. The form works like the real thing, but nothing you send is saved.

What does RSVP stand for?

RSVP stands for répondez s'il vous plaît. Oxford Learner's Dictionaries translates it as "please reply" and notes it is "written on invitations". Cambridge Dictionary spells out what it asks: that "you should tell the people who invited you whether or not you are coming".

You say it letter by letter: ar-es-vee-pee. You'll also see it written R.S.V.P., with the dots, which means the same thing.

English borrowed it a while ago. Dictionary.com dates the first English record to 1895–1900. Today it works as a noun ("Did you send your RSVP?") and as a verb ("I already RSVP'd"). Since s'il vous plaît already means "please", "please RSVP" says please twice. Nobody minds.

What is RSVP in Tagalog?

Tagalog has no four-letter version. The closest translation is a short phrase:

• Pakisagot po ("please answer")
• Mangyaring tumugon ("please respond"), from tugon, which Wiktionary defines as a reply or response

In conversation most Filipinos keep the English word and conjugate it: "Nag-RSVP ka na?" "Paki-RSVP naman bago Friday." On a formal invitation the usual line is in English. If you want a Tagalog one, "Mangyaring ipaalam sa amin bago ang [petsa] kung kayo ay makadadalo" reads well on paper.

How do you reply to an RSVP?

Reply the way the invitation asks, for everyone named on it, before the date. That's the whole rule. The details:

1. Use the method on the card. A reply card goes back in its envelope. A phone number means call or text that number. A link or QR code means answer there, even if you've already told the couple in person, because that's where they're counting. The Emily Post Institute gives the same instruction: "Reply in the manner indicated on the invitation."
2. Answer for each person named. If the envelope says "Ramon, Lisa and Sofia", say who of the three is coming.
3. Reply fast. Emily Post says "within a day or two of receiving an invitation, and by the RSVP deadline at the latest". Bride & Breakfast puts it more bluntly: RSVP "as soon as you know your schedule".
4. If you truly can't say yet, tell the couple when you'll know. Then answer by that day, and never later than the deadline.

RSVP reply samples in English and Taglish

Copy these into Messenger or Viber, or adapt them for a reply card. Keep it short and warm. The couple is reading dozens of these.

Attending

Hi Ana and Paolo! Carlo and I will be there on February 14. We can't wait. Thank you for inviting us!

Good afternoon po, Tita Nena! Makakadalo po kami ni Mark sa kasal nina Bea sa February 14. Salamat po sa imbitasyon!

Declining

You don't owe a long explanation. A reason helps if it's simple and true.

Thank you so much for inviting me. I'm sorry I can't make it on the 14th; I'll be abroad for work that week. Wishing you both a beautiful wedding.

Maraming salamat sa imbitasyon! Sayang, hindi ako makakarating sa 14th kasi naka-duty ako. Congrats in advance, and I'll send my gift.

That last line is good manners: Bride & Breakfast notes it's "still considered good manners to send the couple a gift" when you're invited but can't attend.

Part of the household

Hello po! Kami pong dalawa ni Jun ang makakadalo. Si Lola po, hindi na kaya ang biyahe, pero ipinapaabot po niya ang kanyang pagbati.

An invitation that includes a guest

If the card says "and guest", reply with your companion's full name. Emily Post says to "convey their name" so the couple can seat and label them.

Yes, we'll be there! I'm bringing my partner, Rico Dela Cruz. Thank you!

Regrets only

Stay quiet if you're going. Message only if you can't:

Hi Jess, sadly I can't make it to the dinner on the 3rd. Enjoy, and let's catch up soon!

More wording for cards and websites is in our upcoming RSVP wedding invitation samples.

What does "regrets only" mean?

It means reply only if you're not coming. Emily Post explains: "If your host doesn't hear from you, he is expecting you!" Silence counts as a yes.

It suits casual parties better than weddings, which need exact numbers. On a regular RSVP it works the other way: silence tells the couple nothing, and they'll have to chase you.

What does "we have reserved seats in your honor" mean?

It's the number of people the invitation covers. Filipino invitation guides such as The Budgetarian Bride suggest this exact wording: "We have reserved _ seat/s for you." If the blank says 2, the couple has planned for two people, not your whole family.

It's the polite Filipino way of saying "no plus-ones". Emily Post is blunter about asking to bring someone extra: "Don't even ask!" Children follow the same rule. If they were invited, their names would be on the invitation.

What does "RSVP by [date]" mean for the couple?

It's the day the couple needs every answer so they can confirm a final headcount with their caterer and venue. Bride & Breakfast explains that "vendors would require a final headcount around that same time", and suggests a deadline at least four weeks out. Four to six weeks before the wedding gives you room to chase the stragglers.

The number has a price on both sides. A guest who says yes and doesn't come still costs a plate. One who comes without replying costs an extra one. The caterer Kawaii Events lists its wedding package from ₱75,000 for 80 guests and charges ₱600 for each adult beyond that (checked September 2026). Fifteen surprise guests at that rate add ₱9,000.

So if your plans change after you've said yes, tell the couple straight away. Emily Post limits a late "yes to no" to illness, injury, a death in the family or an unavoidable work conflict. Bride & Breakfast's list is similar: real sickness or a death in the family.

For couples: how to collect RSVPs without chasing everyone

Most of the chasing comes from invitations that leave something open. Close the gaps before you send:

• Put a real date on it, 4 to 6 weeks before the wedding: "Kindly reply by January 15."
• Name every invited person. "Ramon, Lisa and Sofia Santos" beats "the Santos family".
• Give one way to answer, and make it the easiest one for your guests. For many guests that's a link they can open on their phone.
• Say why you need the date. "We send our final count to the caterer on the 20th" is a reason nobody argues with.
• Plan your follow-up before the deadline arrives. A short private message works for friends; call the titas and your ninong and ninang.

Philippine planners such as Event Nest suggest giving your caterer your confirmed count plus 10 to 15 percent for guests who come anyway. That's a rule of thumb, not data, so ask your caterer what extras cost.

Our wedding RSVP guide for the Philippines covers deadlines and wording in detail. For the guests who go quiet, how to get every guest to RSVP has a follow-up schedule and message scripts.

Where Ceremo fits

If you're the couple, Ceremo is one way to run all of this. Each household gets its own RSVP link with its invited guests already listed, so the "reserved seats" question is answered on screen. Guests reply on their phone without making an account, you get a notification when a household answers, and your guest list shows who is attending, not attending, maybe or still pending. Custom RSVP questions, such as meal choice, are free.

On Premium, a one-time ₱2,499, Ceremo also emails reminders to pending guests who have an email address, at 30, 14, 7, 3 and 1 days before your deadline, and stops once they answer.

You don't need software for a small wedding. A printed reply card and a phone work fine for 40 guests you know well. For a bigger list, the free plan covers up to 50 guests. Make your invitation and send the first links today.