Party invite responses

[ceeb21]

I know I may be completely jumping the gun here, but I sent a whole class WhatsApp party invite yesterday and have only had around 6 replies (out of 30).

Bearing in mind everyone has read it, do you assume everyone else can't make it, or do people respond later?! I know more things will get added to the WhatsApp so that invite will be long forgotten!!

You definently need to give a little more time. People need to check diaries, childcare for other children etc. people also work jobs and have busy lives to don’t expect a response immediately.

you can send a reminder a little nearer the party time.

Give it a week, then send a reminder. In the reminder include a cut-off date for RSVP.

After the cut-off date I would then potentially create a separate "party" WhatsApp group so you can check for any allergies etc, or let people know of last minute changes.

When is the party? If it’s a while away people may respond later on.

Give it a week and send a reminder you need responses to get enough party bags.
I always find I have more responses after the reminder.
We just had 2 unable to come in week before and 2 no show’s after verbally saying they were coming wouldn’t bother me in a hall but when it’s £30 a child it’s really hard to not be resentful. Would have invited others if they said they couldn’t come in first week. We’re not bothering next year!

Thanks all, I know I need to give it time but just hard when you know people have read the message, then I know more messages will come and it gets forgotten about!

I will re send it in a couple of weeks to ask for some final numbers for food etc!

When is the party? Long time in advance, or quite soon? Also is it the holidays? People might be away. It’s better to create a specific party WhatsApp I think, so it doesn’t get lost in the main group chat messages.

What date did you set for RSVP’s?

Especially this time of year people may need to check plans, calendars, work schedules etc before they can commit to a party because there is so much going on and even when there isn’t set plans there is “stuff” to do. Wait until it hits your RSVP date and go from there. I probably wouldn’t have been able to confirm or decline immediately myself.

It's not until 13th December, but obviously with Christmas I always find best to send early!

Yes also half term, feel I've done this all at the wrong time haha.

I think I will resend when all back to school in a couple of weeks just to say incase anyone missed whilst the kids were off etc

Yes they’ve read it, but clearly they’re not in a position to be able to reply straight away. They need to check their calendar. They need to check what they are doing and what the other children are doing. Sports matches coming up. They need to know what their work schedule is. They need to know if they are free and they need to make sure that grandma and grandad don’t have any birthdays coming up, et cetera et cetera… Just have some chill. One day after the party invites have been sent I would not expect the host to be climbing the ceiling stressing about why I hadn’t replied. Not everyone knows their plans for several weeks’ time off the top of their head. Most people don’t.

Sometimes a message will come through on a group WhatsApp that I will read to see if it’s urgent, but then continue with what I am doing or need to check a calendar, other potential plans the kids or DH may have that haven’t yet made the calendar, or I might simply just forget to reply.

it hasn’t even been 24 hours and it’s half term, people will be busy.
you can “pin” a message in a WhatsApp group so it shows at the top of the conversation, so you could do that. Or give it a week and resend it with an rsvp cut off date

May just be a bit early for a December birthday. Personally I like it because I can stick it in the diary but a lot of people will just wait as it’s a while away. Semd a reminder closer to the time.

Thanks, I know, it really is just me being very un chill about it 😂

Thank you, yeah I'm the same and I think that's why I can't understand why people haven't responded haha. But I also have to understand people have a lot more things to factor in than perhaps I do!

Problem with a WhatsApp is it’s read and then forgotten - get some physical invites for your child to hand out when back at school with a RSVP date on.

I would have read the message then need to check with dad and the main calendar... then probably forgot to reply until a reminder or someone else posts In the chat and prompts me.

I do prefer a physical invite as I can pin it to my hand written calendar (I am old school)

Three issues:

1. December is packed with events, many people won't want to commit to a kids birthday party in advance. Sorry.
2. Many people, myself included, hate having to commit my weekends in TWO MONTHS time, regardless of it being December anyway (see point 1)
3. WhatsApp is sort of read and run. I might see the message first thing this morning but will forget by 10am.

And before you come at me, I have a December birthday. I know how painful it is for everyone to prioritise everything else. Plan something that isn't too dependant on numbers.

I’d say chase it two weeks out but until then people are busy

Maybe print some invites and give them to the teacher to distribute after half term? We have many times gotten paper invites & a whatsapp invite for the same party. Good luck!

Agree! Also a December birthday. I think sending out now is a guarantee of not many coming. Those who respond yes so often will forget and others will wait to see what is happening and not look at the message or reminders again. Myself I pretty much always decline invites so far in advance especially with strangers.

That's interesting and do think sometimes paper invites obviously less likely to get lost in the group chat!

Thanks and understood! Im hating the December birthday lol

Think I'll just send a reminder a few weeks out from the actual party and just do final numbers, that way I guess people will be reminded if they missed it or may have more concrete plans!

I don’t know. Very likely as many people stick them on the fridge, the kids get to see the invite and get excited about it etc If it s just on whatsapp and especially the kid that are in reception/grade 1 they may not even know that there is a party happening. I personally do paper ones too because I love designing and keeping them in their keepsake box for the future. Everyone is different!

I wouldn’t reply until 2 weeks out typically because things come up, especially so close to Christmas. I wouldn’t send a reminder until 3 weeks out then give them until 2 weeks before to reply

People are appallingly disorganised OP.

Also, brace yourself for the following:

• People arriving at your party at the wrong time.
• People arriving on the wrong day.
• People turning up at the wrong venue despite you including a full address including postcode.

Oh, and you will be blamed for the above! 😂

Haha I know, it's just I know I just respond either way if I know they're free, but then get not everyone is the same and have lots of other factors in play!!