I have a friend who was recently tasked with hosting a bridal luncheon for a friend. The bride gave her contact information for the women she would like to invite, and my friend set about sending out invitations.
The plan was to have an afternoon tea at a nice restaurant, but my friend couldn’t make a reservation without confirming the exact number of guests. She asked guests to RSVP by a certain date, which came and went with just a few people bothering to respond. Because she used an electronic e-vite service, she was able to see which women had opened and read their invitations. Still, many didn’t have the courtesy to respond, even to decline. Some were even close family members of the bride.
The host had no choice but to go ahead and make a reservation based on the RSVPs she’d received. As expected, a couple of women suddenly became available, requiring calls to the restaurant and a last-minute rush to get more party supplies. Some women still never bothered to RSVP. When one MIA guest ran into my friend at the couple’s wedding she just said, “oh, I’m sorry I couldn’t come.” It was perfectly fine that she couldn’t attend; what was rude and unacceptable was her lack of consideration by not replying to the invite.
We’re all busy people, and we can’t always attend everything that comes our way. But ignoring a personal invitation is inconsiderate. It takes just seconds to make your excuses and politely decline. If people want to include you, why leave them hanging?