Photo: Courtesy of Jolly Edition
Mailing out wedding invitations is hard work. After you’ve chosen a design, selected the wording, and made a guest list, you’ve still got to compile addresses, assemble, and get those things in the mail — Phew! And with so many details involved, no amount of double- and triple-checking can guarantee there won’t be an error somewhere along the way. If that error means one of your guests doesn’t get his or her wedding invitation, what’s a bride to do? Our experts weigh in.
Whether it was lost in the mail or mis-addressed, finding out a guest didn’t get a wedding invitation is frustrating. It is especially so if you find out because you never get their RSVP, instead of because the invitation was returned to you, which means the time until your wedding is quickly ticking away.
While you won’t know if the invitation was lost until you ask, this is a great reason to promptly follow up on any outstanding RSVPs shortly after the deadline has passed. If a guest informs you that they never got an invite, start off by apologizing, then giving them all of the pertinent information. You can mail an extra invitation to them, or follow up with an email detailing the when and where of your wedding, as well as any information you’ll need from them (such as where they’re planning to stay and their meal choice).
Remember, you shouldn’t expect a guest to reach out to you if they don’t get an invitation, no matter how close you are. Asking if they’re invited is impolite, and most guests wouldn’t dream of imposing on a bride-to-be! Instead, if you’re curious why someone on your list has been avoiding wedding talk when you’re around (or why you haven’t gotten any excited phone calls or texts), ask if they’ve gotten the information they need or if they had any questions about what you have planned. Best case scenario, they’ve got other things on their mind, and worst case, now you know their invite got lost and you can take steps to fix it!
See more: The NEW Wedding Etiquette Guide: Everything to Know About Invitations and Guest Lists