We are busy people.

We live in a busy world.

So much happens in our lives everyday. I know this far too well.

When post comes through our door, into our inboxes or onto our phones, it is so easy to think “I’ll deal with that later”. If we’re lucky, we attend to it in time, but often we remember about it too late. I know this far too well.

Life is all about perspective. What is important, time consuming and necessary in one life is just a small and insignificant thing to another person. I know this far too well.

But, when it comes to wedding invitations, please respond. Please make a decision when you remember to, and let the hosts know what you are planning to do.

That vaguely pretty envelope with matching (or not!) decorations within has taken somebody hours of work. In design, in choice and in deciding on the guest list at all, I promise that what you hold in your hand is the product of hours of thought and work. A small thing in your day, pleasant to receive, a nice thing to go on the mantelpiece, into your In Tray or the back of a draw. But to someone, it has taken an effort. When you remember to, please reply to your hosts (a second class stamp is 50p, an email is free), no matter how obvious you may think it is that you will be attending.

So, please RSVP.

Then once you have done so, please stick to what you said.

I had the most beautiful wedding day imaginable and it truly was the best day of my life. It was the product of months of strife and thinking and discussing and planning. It was better than I ever imagined.

My day was not effected by people not turning up. But the fact still remains that 3 people RSVP-ed “yes” and simply didn’t come.

I didn’t notice at the time, and my day wasn’t impacted by the lack of these particular people who I have never met. Yet upon reflection, deep down, it’s a bit hard to take.

All that work, all that money, all that time. And 3 individuals just didn’t come when they said they would.

I could give a break down of how much the wedding cost and how much money was wasted by 3 people not turning up without telling us, but I won’t. Each wedding is different and by just not turning up you could be wasting anywhere between £10 and £300+ (the average wedding in the UK cost £27000 in 2017). But more than that, someone else could have had that space. Guestlists are really difficult and wherever the line is drawn, it’s hard to draw it. But other people can be included if you let the hosts know that you won’t be coming.

So please, RSVP asap, and stick to it.