Planning your event starts with your invitation and response card, but the entire planning of the event involves so much more. Create a complimentary montage of information for your guests with this collection of Party Invitation Essentials. Our Essentials collection includes directions cards, menu cards, place cards, reception cards and response cards that will coordinate with your invitation ensemble.

Directions Cards: Our directions cards are available in white or ivory card stock to ensure legibility for your guests when attending your event. These cards are available with a colorful single or double border that will compliment your invitation ensemble. Include directions to your ceremony, cocktail hour or main event. Include phone numbers and contact information in case a guest becomes lost. Your guests are sure to appreciate your assistance in attending your event easily.

Menu Cards: Nothing sets the scene for a formal dinner more than a personalized menu for each guest at their place setting. Use the chef’s descriptions or your own as you inform your guest about the menu about to be presented to them. Our menu cards are available with floral patterns, dandelion designs, scrolls, vines, monograms, borders and flourish designs. Choose a menu card that accents your party location and theme.

Place Cards: Seating guests at a reception can be a chaotic event of guests racing around, chairs being moved and meals being served to the wrong person. Create an organized environment for your guests by handing out place cards which designate which guest will sit at each table. Our top fold place cards are available in white or ivory card stock and feature unique designs with scrolls, flowers, monograms, swashes and borders.

Response Cards: Be clear on who is attending your event by including a response card with your invitations. You can even add brief meal choices for your guests to select. We have a wide variety of RSVP cards for you to choose that coordinate with many of our invitations. From plain response cards to cards with borders, floral designs or damask designs. Not sure which RSVP is best for you? Feel free to contact our customer service reps for expert suggestions. Remember: response cards can be ordered without envelopes and be made into reception cards.

When planning your next event, remember to visit our Party Invitation Essentials Collection of cards which will tie your entire event together.

We all have had this happen one time or another – we send out 75 invitations, 40 people reply they are attending and then 60 people show up! Today’s modern generation for some reason just does not like to RSVP, which can be a frustrating situation for the host of a party.

The trick with RSVP’s is to give a reply-by date on the invitation along with your RSVP. This will give a strong message to your guests that the host needs to know the number attending for a specific reason, be it space at the location, catering or favors. The length of time for a reply-by date is typically about 1-2 weeks for a casual event, 3-4 weeks for a formal event or wedding. Just remember to give yourself enough cushion time so that in the days after the RSVP you have time to contact those guests that did not RSVP. Try to refrain from using “regrets only”. While this provides you with less phone calls or emails, this also may cause you to be expecting a large number of guests when only a small number attend your event.

If you are hosting a formal event, you may want to send a response card along with your invitation. If doing so, you should not include any RSVP information on your invitation. Simply enclose the response card in the invitation envelope. Remember to stamp the response card with postage and also have the return address written on the front of the RSVP card envelope so that all your guests have to do is fill out the reply and mail it in to you. When writing a response card you want to include the request for the reply, a reply by date, a “M________________” line for the guest to write in their name(s) and areas for the guest to check off whether or not they are attending. Depending on the space available on your response card, it is acceptable to include brief descriptions of meal choices if necessary. Refrain from using “will____attend” as guests will not know what to write if the ARE attending – do they write yes? Put a check there?

Need a response card for your next event? Our InvitationBox response cards come in a variety of colors, borders, patterns and designs. Check some of them out below! All can be ordered without envelopes if needed so that you can use the card for reception cards, accommodations cards, meal cards or directions cards.