Party Invitations - Los Angeles,CA

ETA: People certainly DO RSVP!
If you say "People don't RSVP"? That means that YOU don't RSVP, and/or that the people you've invited are too ignorant or lazy to RSVP!

Get the invitations out 3 weeks befor the party.
RSVP date: 1 week prior to event
RSVP method: what you prefer. Text/call makes it very easy.

About 3 weeks is good. Any earlier and people forget. Any later and they often have other plans.

I usually give my cell phone number and say "call or text." I also give my email. It seems like many parents want to be able to just text or email so that they don't have to really talk to you. But others (like me) enjoy talking to the other moms and getting to know them a little bit. So having the option to call is nice. If you do give out your cell phone number, I would definitely mention that texting is ok. Otherwise people don't know if that's a cell phone or a landline.

I wouldn't worry about anyone texting just a "yes" or "no" without their name. Unless I'm certain I've texted someone before, I always say, "This is A, B's mom. He is really looking forward to C's party. See you then!" That's the only way anyone has ever responded to our invitations. Then I always save that parent's info in my contacts, just in case. You never know when that might come in handy - scouts, sports team, class party, etc. Never hurts to have some of those numbers stored.

Requesting an RSVP a week ahead is fine. Know that for the most part people will only contact you if they are going. Most people do not RSVP regrets ... annoying, yes, but it is reality.

I agree that 3-4 weeks is pretty reasonable. I have my RSVP a week before the party, because be ready for the fact that few people will actually RSVP. If you want to know if they're coming, you may have to track them down.

I think if it's possible to give them face to face that's good because it makes it more likely for people to respond to you, I think. But sending them home is fine. I wouldn't worry that you don't know everyone, this is a great way to meet people and for kids to play together.

I would also expect that most of the parents are going to stay the whole time. Most parents are not going to drop off their 3 year old and a party and leave, some might, but most won't. So be prepared for that when shopping for drinks, plates, cake, etc.

ETA…also I meant to add that I usually include my cell phone number and my email address for people who don't like to actually talk to you. I get a better response that way when I include both.

I agree with the idea of at least three weeks. Around here kids, even young ones, are so busy (and so are their siblings and parents) that most invitations go out three weeks to a month before events. Also, with summer looming, many families may go on vacation soon, so get word out so you'll know who may or may not be around!

One week before party for RSVP. I note you're giving out paper invitations, so be sure you also have an e-mail or text number for these families so you can contact them if you hear nothing. I love paper invitations, myself! But if it gets lost, and these families don't know you well enough to have your phone number or e-mail address, they might not be able to reach you to ask, "Sorry, when was Sally's party again?...."

3 weeks before the party.

I would want them to RSVP at least one week before that way I can make sure I purchase the correct about of party supplies the weekend before and have enough life guards if it is a pool party or gymnastic instructors (you get the idea).

I would not mind to get a text, email, phone call or face-to-face response, as long as they RSVP. I have even sent a 'looking forward to seeing you tomorrow' the day before the party to the people who RSVP-ed yes.

Make it clear if siblings are welcome. This could impact your head count greatly if people showed up with all 3 kids and not just the one invited.

edit: I have done a text to my and my daughters' friends less than 2 weeks and all but one came for my child's b-day party (last minute, small group and fun for a 4 year old at my house).

We just did a party here.

Knowing that this is a busy time of year, I sent them out 2 1/2 weeks ahead of the party. I requested RSVP 3 days before the actual party.

But I've seen anywhere from 3 weeks to 1 week (invites sent) before the party. I think the norm (here) is around 2.

And a week before the party to RSVP is fine also (seen that a lot). Ours was a home party and so I let it go to 3 days before (numbers wouldn't greatly affect my plans).

I send my home phone and email address for RSVP - most email, some will call if they have questions.

Hope that helps!

Good luck :)

The longer you wait to give/send them out, the more likely people will have other plans. To me, last minute invitations often mean the host didn't plan, or the recipient wasn't in the first round of invitees, or the host doesn't care if people come. Of course there are many reasons why impromptu parties might crop up, but birthdays (when you knew the date all year long) usually are presumed to have been thought of ahead of time. For toddler parties, a ton of invitations last minute conveys to some (rightly or wrongly) that the host just wants "credit" for inviting but really hopes half the people won't accept.

Are you buying (or making) regular invitations but you plan to hand them to people? Why wouldn't you mail them? It lets people get mail when they are able to deal with it and check their calendar, rather than stuffing an envelope in their purse (where they may misplace it) and feeling the obligation to reply to your face. If you're doing verbal invitations face-to-face, why print one out?

I'd say 3-4 weeks ahead, with RSVPs no more than a week from the event. (Much earlier RSVPs should only apply to major venues with a ton of catering, like a wedding or a charity event.) For a small at-home party for 3 year olds, I can't imagine why someone would need more than a week. Then at 4 days out if you still haven't heard, you can follow up.

There's often a problem when you invite school friends whose parents you don't know. There's the logistical problem of getting invitations to people whose home contact info you don't have, so you rely on the teachers to give out invites (worse: expecting kids to keep an invitation in the backpack). We see questions on Mamapedia all the time about things that got distributed through school and then the prospective guests don't reply - the host has no way to contact them and doesn't know why they didn't reply (didn't get it, didn't know who you are, are just rude or forgetful). I think, if you don't know the kids well enough to know the parents, you should figure out if it's really a good idea to invite the whole class and what the benefit is of having a huge room full of kids.

I think RSVP by text is fine if you are friendly enough with the person to have their contact info already in your phone already. Otherwise half the time people leave their name off and you have a "yes" or a "no" and you don't know who they are. That gets embarrassing. Email is fine if you have the name in your address book or if their email address is clear enough that you recognize it. I think a casual RSVP method is fine for casual parties. But I do think it's essential for them to have a phone number for you even if you request an email reply - and it's more personal and invites a direct conversation (or at least allows for the possibility).

People don't RSVP. Just have the party and plan on having cake and stuff. Then if they show up it's fun, if they don't...you have cake for a few days.

If you have to pay for the event based on each person then have enough money on hand to pay for each person invited plus 1 parent then pay as they come.

And for a 3rd birthday she has a sort of limited amount of real friends so I'd say this is the last one that is mostly family and close friends to come to. Just call them up and say Hey, we're having a party for kiddo, wanna help? Then you know they're coming.