So my friend who's getting married 2 weeks before me mailed her invites, and she had the standard RSVP's, you know with one line for all the names and then two food choices. Just the basic ones.
They way she has devised to get the right meal to the right person is really complicated, requires a lot of reading on the gusts part...and in general she figured out it's not going to work.
So since she's already mailed out these RSVP's and can't send different ones - do you have any suggestions how she can easily get the right meal to the right person?
I'm actually having a similar problem.... I have the same simple RSVPs, yet need to know who is having what (my club prefers not to have to ask each guest). After realizing my mistake, I just called the club manager yesterday and she explained that the chef really only needs to which table has which food (so the trays from the kitchen are set correctly)... it will now be up to the wait staff to be sure each person gets their correct meal (by asking). Have friend call her reception hall and determine if they do just need to know per table and not per person and she might be alright then! If not, I agree with Vyeta7.... she's going to have start making phone calls
Kmlee - she can't she's arelady mailed them and is getting them back. So she doens't know who's having what, one card has 3 names on it and then it says 2 chicken 1 prime rib - doens't say who wants what :-(
if her venue works like tater's, then she's mostly fine, right, because won't most people on the same rsvp card also be at the same table (except some parents/children--she can call those people.)
haha we made simple RSVPs too, but I knew what I was doing when I sent them out. I have a couple of suggestions...
1) I wrote a post on my blog specifically telling people how to fill out the RSVPs (ie, initial next to the dish you want, not just put check marks). Most of the guests read the blog.
2) If they still put checkmarks, it's a little harder with 3 people, but I'm just guessing what people are going to want. If I guess incorrectly, they can just do a switcheroo when the food comes out.
3) We asked for their email addresses on the RSVP card, so we can always send a quick email to follow-up (though with the RSVPs already out, this solution doesn't help your friend much).
4) If, like tater said, you just need to get an accurate count but you don't need to know who ordered what, you can always have the waiter ask them what they ordered. You leave a little bit up to chance this way, as people may switch what they wanted originally (throwing your numbers off), but if the caterer is okay with this, this may be the best option.
We're probably not going to drive ourselves crazy with #3 unless the RSVP is like, blank or something. And we didn't want to go with #4 because I don't like waiters interrupting conversation to ask questions.
It's the trade-off of having really simple RSVPs! They're easy for people to fill out and thus your rate of return is higher, but they may not do it correctly!
Our venue has the waiters ask the guests at each table which entree they ordered. Chicken, beef, or vegetarian -- and then brings those items to the table.
Perhaps she can make family/couple escort cards (which, I think, is the proper way anyways) and the back of the escort cards can have all the different menu choices that were listed on the response card. Then waiters can work off of these escort cards (once guests are seated) to bring each couple or family's meal? I dunno if this makes sense or can even work. :)
So my friend who's getting married 2 weeks before me mailed her invites, and she had the standard RSVP's, you know with one line for all the names and then two food choices. Just the basic ones.
They way she has devised to get the right meal to the right person is really complicated, requires a lot of reading on the gusts part...and in general she figured out it's not going to work.
So since she's already mailed out these RSVP's and can't send different ones - do you have any suggestions how she can easily get the right meal to the right person?
Thanks in advance gals!
posted by Sweeney2Be 1,488 posts 5 months agoAdd the entree name to the placecards or color-code them so the waiters know which entree the guest is having.
posted by kmlee 10 posts 5 months agoDivide up the guest list and start calling...
posted by vyeta7 170 posts 5 months agoI'm actually having a similar problem.... I have the same simple RSVPs, yet need to know who is having what (my club prefers not to have to ask each guest). After realizing my mistake, I just called the club manager yesterday and she explained that the chef really only needs to which table has which food (so the trays from the kitchen are set correctly)... it will now be up to the wait staff to be sure each person gets their correct meal (by asking). Have friend call her reception hall and determine if they do just need to know per table and not per person and she might be alright then! If not, I agree with Vyeta7.... she's going to have start making phone calls
posted by tater 81 posts 5 months agoKmlee - she can't she's arelady mailed them and is getting them back. So she doens't know who's having what, one card has 3 names on it and then it says 2 chicken 1 prime rib - doens't say who wants what :-(
posted by Sweeney2Be 1,488 posts 5 months agoif her venue works like tater's, then she's mostly fine, right, because won't most people on the same rsvp card also be at the same table (except some parents/children--she can call those people.)
posted by lauracare 19 posts 5 months agohaha we made simple RSVPs too, but I knew what I was doing when I sent them out. I have a couple of suggestions...
1) I wrote a post on my blog specifically telling people how to fill out the RSVPs (ie, initial next to the dish you want, not just put check marks). Most of the guests read the blog.
2) If they still put checkmarks, it's a little harder with 3 people, but I'm just guessing what people are going to want. If I guess incorrectly, they can just do a switcheroo when the food comes out.
3) We asked for their email addresses on the RSVP card, so we can always send a quick email to follow-up (though with the RSVPs already out, this solution doesn't help your friend much).
4) If, like tater said, you just need to get an accurate count but you don't need to know who ordered what, you can always have the waiter ask them what they ordered. You leave a little bit up to chance this way, as people may switch what they wanted originally (throwing your numbers off), but if the caterer is okay with this, this may be the best option.
We're probably not going to drive ourselves crazy with #3 unless the RSVP is like, blank or something. And we didn't want to go with #4 because I don't like waiters interrupting conversation to ask questions.
It's the trade-off of having really simple RSVPs! They're easy for people to fill out and thus your rate of return is higher, but they may not do it correctly!
posted by rebecca 986 posts 5 months agoI've been to weddings before where I was asked at the door which meal I chose and then handed a corresponding card to set at my seat.
posted by sweetvenus 62 posts 5 months agoOur venue has the waiters ask the guests at each table which entree they ordered. Chicken, beef, or vegetarian -- and then brings those items to the table.
posted by caliocteach 716 posts 5 months agoPerhaps she can make family/couple escort cards (which, I think, is the proper way anyways) and the back of the escort cards can have all the different menu choices that were listed on the response card. Then waiters can work off of these escort cards (once guests are seated) to bring each couple or family's meal? I dunno if this makes sense or can even work. :)
posted by pancy 201 posts 5 months agoWhat my sister did for her reception was print entree cards - blue and red. We attached them to the family placecards with paperclips. It worked fine!
posted by czrena 19 posts 5 months ago