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Thursday, May 29, 2008
Invite or Evite?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tony Brewer with Laura Rogers, left, and Kate Lastinger, put his 42 cents’ worth in at the “Flats and Hats” luncheon. Don’t send him an Evite. Photo by Taylor Arnold.
Mississippi native Tony Brewer was raised right.
He comes by it naturally; the prominent ATL party planner says his mother was everyone’s source for etiquette inspiration growing up in little Columbus, Miss.
At a “Flats and Hats” luncheon hosted by the Power of Women and Money recently, he was brimming with great advice himself:
Serve hors d’oeuvres that can be easily consumed in one bite.
Say, “Nice to see you,” instead of “Nice to meet you,” so you don’t accidentally dis someone you’ve met before.
Think twice before downing appetizers with strong odors.
Keep cultural and religious diversity in mind when planning menus and decor.
Stock the bar with inviting options for guests who don’t drink alcohol.
And never send an Evite.
Say what?
That’s right.
“I think e-mail is one of the greatest inventions, but I will never send an Evite to anyone,” Brewer said.
Quipped PWM co-founder Denise Elsbree: “Of course you’re all here because of an Evite.”
She then asked for a show of hands, and about half of the guests at the women’s business networking event indicated they prefer e-mailed invitations. The other half wanted something tangible sent in the mail.
An Evite is convenient, can be sent any time and costs nothing - but might seem a little chintzy, especially when you’re asking patrons to write hefty checks to attend. Invites, of course, are elegant and fun to receive in the mail, but run the risk of getting lost. And with mail rates ever on the rise, they can eat into your fundraiser’s budget.
Do you send Evites or invites - or both, depending on the occasion?
