Whether you are throwing an elaborate wedding that’s taken years to plan or are having an intimate do to celebrate your union with those closest to you, waiting for those RSVPs to roll in from prospective wedding guests is a daunting time.
Once those invitations go out, keeping track of the RSVPs (or lack of) is a major undertaking. The resulting guest numbers after all have the power to up your wedding budget or leave your guest list a little flat.
Your RSVPs dictate so many factors. Guest numbers have a knock on effect on every aspect of your wedding day, from your ceremony seating plan to your catering. With this in mind, not receiving those coveted RSVPs on time can really put a spanner in the wedding planning works.
Not everyone will be familiar with RSVP etiquette, which means many guests are painfully slow at responding. There are a number of tips and tricks you can use to get those RSVPs in fast, here are just a few.
Keep it simple
If RSVPing takes time, don’t expect replies to come flooding in. The trick is to make RSVPing as easy as possible, a fact that makes electronic invitations a popular choice amongst modern day couples. With an e-invite, guests can RSVP in just one click.
Using tech to get the RSVP responses you’re looking for isn’t great for every guest. Older wedding guests that aren’t so technically minded may prefer a good old fashioned stamped addressed envelope.
If you are opting for snail mail for all your wedding invitations, provide stamped addressed envelopes for everyone, while offering an alternative method of replying by email or text at the bottom of your invite.
Set a deadline
Giving your guests a specific date to RSVP is a must. Invitations are sent around eight weeks before your wedding date so there’s no room for error! Don’t give your guests too much time to reply however, urgency works better if you want fast replies.
Set your RSVP deadline for five to six weeks before your wedding date to give your guests plenty of time to respond and give yourself peace of mind that the final headcount for caterers and other suppliers will be in on time.
Send reminders
There’s nothing wrong with a helpful reminder in the run up to your RSVP deadline. Mentioning your RSVP cards to individuals in person or over the phone will provide the push they need to respond. Couples with wedding websites can even post their reminder along with their wedding updates to prompt guests to reply.
For those who don’t take the hint, get other family members involved in tracking down the last few RSVP responses. It’s the perfect way to get a family member involved in the wedding planning action.
