Invitations, RSVP's and Electronic Invitations

This one is a bit of a sore spot for me. Invitations and the way they are sent out, is definitely a personal preference. I prefer paper invitations and cards, sent through the mail, over anything else. But of course I have also used electronic services as well. A few thoughts on them with holidays around the corner. 

I spend quite a bit of time picking out our annual holiday party invitations, the boy always adds his input, but our favorites are always the Doc Milo cards. We have used Doc Milo designs for the past few years as well as our moving announcements, they have new designs every year which keeps things fresh. 

2009

2010 Moving Announcement (the backs are printed too, so cute!)

2011 (2010 we had a housewarming party planned - since we had recently moved, and an uncle passed away and we had to cancel our plans)

And this year, 2012, but I haven't decided what to print on them yet. . .open to ideas and suggestions!

Love looking at and picking out invitations, I have even made quite a few of them as well. 

I think the invitation definitely sets the tone for the festivities. It is kind of like the first impression, the cover on the book, the smell when you walk through the door, the dressing, the icing on the cake. 

There are a lot of great online invitation services out there, evite, which I think if you don't know about at this point, you live under a rock. . .Paperlesspost (my personal favorite) and Cocodot are a few that I have used. I don't like to use an electronic service for big special events, but for a casual get together, a small dinner party, or a small social gathering. 

But in the end, these invitations are just good tools for helping those of us who enjoy entertaining to plan. Plan for drinks, eats, space and what to expect from the evening. So why is it then that people just don't understand how to RSVP? Just a yeah or a neigh. Not a tough one, put the event on your calendar and show up. It still baffles me that people struggle with this and throw off those of us who are just trying to treat them to a fun evening. We are having some of the neighbors over for a little Halloween cocktail party. I used Paperlesspost. . . sent it out in plenty of time, and we still have 10 guests who have not even responded, and that is with a reminder. What do you do in a situation like that. I just plan that they won't come, usually the opposite happens. 

Well, better start working on the 2012 Holiday Party invitations!