Party invites - do you chase non-repliers?

[redskyatnight]

So DD's party is approaching and invitations have been duly sent out with RSVP by date. The RSVP date is approaching and I still have quite a few replies not received. Obviously everyone may reply at the last minute, but just wondered what you did if people don't reply to invitations?

For DS's party we had 7 non-repliers, I spent a few days tracking down all the parents and none of them (or their children rather) could come. I'm tempted to save myself the stress this time (of course none of the non-repliers are parents I actually see on any sort of regular basis so not a simple job) and just assume that not-replying means not coming.

It's a soft play style party so I have to tell them numbers in advance if that makes a difference.

Oh - and she's 3, so there's no chance that parents might be expecting their DC to pass on replies themselves.

If it's that many, and you are having to pay for each child, I would definitely chase up. If it was one or two, and you were doing it yourself, maybe not so much - but even then you still have to have emergency party bags etc 'just in case'.

I would definately chase once it is past the RSVP date. I have generally found that non RSVPer's are intending to come to the party, they just assumed you would realise that obviously little X would love to come!

Yes, I chase. DS was invited to a party in early December but the invite got mixed up with Xmas cards so I didn't see the invite until 3 weeks after the party, I badly wish the parents of the birthday child had chased us up!!

I just put a reminder invite out and with a polite note on to say we hadn't heard and perhaps the first invite had been lost - please reply or we would assume their child was not coming. We too had a soft play party so had to give numbers in advance too.

I chase by phone on or after the rsvp date. We have a class list with numbers on. IME lots of people do not reply, and I think it's really rude.

I say, "I wonder if little X gave you the invite to my DC's party?" So it leaves the parent free to pretend they never found the invite in the book bag/ coat pocket/ where ever.

Yes, what fridays child says. I've had cases of genuinely lost invitations and the parents were pleased I'd chased.