Keeping it Classy

Recently, there have been a variety of weddings- it is wedding season, after all (better than Christmas!). I had a thought, as I feel like invitations are single-handedly supporting the post office these days.

While weddings remain stalwarts of tradition and class, it may be time to make a break from tradition in wedding invitations. Sure, the fancy invites are nice to get in the mail- they're pretty, they become a mainstay of the side of my refrigerator, and they ooze class. And, because I am sure many brides, mothers of brides, and Ms. Manners would be appalled if I suggested the abolition of the wedding invitation in favor of something electronic, I instead propose the following. Pun intended.

So invitations stay. But, what if we made responses electronic? Wouldn't it be significantly easier if there were an online database that people could go to log their RSVPs? Fathers of the Bride would save not only on the postage required to send back those little RSVP cards, but on the cards themselves (and corresponding envelopes). An online RSVP system would be easy, and as an added feature, could incorporate wedding management for guests. Imagine it: guests could click a radio button for their response, and in addition, enter their meal preferences online, providing an easy to manage dinner list. The database could provide easy guest lists, and could probably also provide an easy to use online seating chart as the couple (or couples' parents) decided whom to seat with whom.

Since I am far from all-knowing about weddings, I would submit that there are probably other aspects of wedding planning that could be done online. Parents of the couple located in different places could both access it, should that be something that was useful.

For all I know, this could exist. If it doesn't, well, I want royalties if someone makes it. It would buck the convention of tradition, but I imagine that it would be easier and cheaper than the RSVP cards, and something easy to build. In a time when saving money is en vogue, it would be easier to make the break from tradition, without really losing any of that special wedding class.

Per usual, thanks for reading.

Dis

Editor's note: My friend Aaron created exactly what I was talking about, using Google forms. See http://snipurl.com/nrknm.