What is the full form of (RSVP) as seen on the invitation cards?
The term “RSVP” on an invitation is an acronym for a French phrase, repondez s’il vous plait, meaning “respond if you please.” It is a polite way of requesting a response to the invitation, not a suggestion to the invited guest to respond if he or she feels like it. Some invitations stamped RSVP include a RSVP card and an envelope to make responding even easier. The phrase “response requested,” which means essentially the same thing, may also be used.
R.S.V.P. stands for a French phrase, “répondez, s’il vous plaît,” which means “please reply.” The person sending the invitation would like you to tell him or her whether you accept or decline the invitation. That is, will you be coming to the event or not? Etiquette rules followed in most Western cultures require that if you receive a formal, written invitation, you should reply promptly, perhaps that same day. For hosts who are planning a dinner party, a wedding or a reception, this is important from a practical point of view, because they need to know how many people to count on and how much food and drink to buy. More important, though, is the simple courtesy of responding to someone who was nice enough to invite you, even if it is to say that you regret that you will not be able to attend. Many wedding invitations come with a response card that you can mail back right away. Other written invitations will carry the host’s telephone number so you can call with your reply, although
