7 Best Tips to Get Wedding Guests to RSVP on Time

Getting your wedding guests to respond to your RSVP on time is one of the more frustrating aspects of wedding planning. Luckily, we are here to help you handling RSVPs a whole lot easier. From creating your RSVP timeline to etiquette tips and wording advice, these wedding tips will increase your response rate so you’ll have the least work tracking down your guests! Happy reading and check out all our new wedding invitation designs for your RSVP cards!

#More RSVP Options

 

While mail-in RSVP cards are still the traditional choice, more and more brides are using digital RSVP’s which are  money-saving, easy to create, simplify the RSVP process and prompt quicker responses from your guests. Most of these online services are free, so you can even send them in addition to a paper invite with no extra cost.

 

No matter what method you choose, make sure you provide your guests with a convenient way to contact you. So the more options you can give the better. For example, if you do online RSVPS, you can also include you phone number and email address on your invitation together with your website link for the not so tech savvy guests. Remeber being flexible will allow your attendees to reply in the way that’s easiest for them.

 

1. #RSVP Timeline Etiquette

 

Now that you’ve decided on your RSVP method, you’ll need to figure out your RSVP timeline.

 

The wedding etiquette says that wedding invitations should go out 6-8 weeks before your wedding, and the RSVP date should fall 3 to 4 weeks prior to the wedding.

 

In fact , when it comes to choosing a reply date for the RSVP card, there are a few things you can consider.

 

2. The final headcount for your wedding

 

This will likely be determined mostly by your venue or caterer, and typically they need a count 10 days to 2 weeks prior to the event date.

 

3. Time Cushion for the final guest count

 

Your RSVP date should give you 7-10 days to track down any unanswered RSVPs before submitting a final headcount to your caterer.

 

4. Don’t give guests too much time to respond

 

Never extend the time between sending out the invitation and asking for the wedding RVSP by more than one month, but make sure to take into account any holidays that may delay the mail around that time if you are doing RSVP paper cards.

 

5. Pick a date that is easy to remember

 

Here we recommend choosing the closest nice, round number on the calendar, such as  1st of the month, the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th or 31st , which is easier for your guests to remember when they need to get that RSVP card in the mail!

 

6. Add Extra Time for Destination Weddings

 

The rules are slightly different fordestination wedding RSVPs. Destination Weddings require more preparation and planning because they’re well far away. We suggest sending out your invites 12 weeks before the wedding date, and setting your response date for 6 weeks before the wedding date.

So here is our formula for the best RSVP date for a typical wedding:

 

    Your vendors’ final headcount for your wedding- 10 days to 2 weeks prior to the event date.

    Considering the date your caterer needs the final guest count -1 week.

    From this date, choose the closest nice, round number on the calendar, that is easy to remember.

 

Example:

 

Wedding date = October 3, 2020

Final count due (to caterer or venue) = September 19

Back up 1 week = September 12th

Choose a “nice round number”…

 

Ideal RSVP date for October 3rd wedding = September 10, 2020

#A Spreadsheet to Stay Organized

 

Create a guest list and RSVP spreadsheet is the most efficient way to record traditional paper responses. When you receive an RSVP, remember to add it to the spreadsheet right away so that nothing gets lost or forgotten. There are many online RSVP spreadsheets you can use to keep track.

PRO TIP:

 

When sending out your wedding invitations cards, include a number on each RSVP card. and have it match up with your guest list so if someone mails back a blank one (it happens more than you think) then you can easily match who it belongs to! If you want it to be invisible, you can use a black light and white marker to be all sneaky about it.

 

a wedding guest list example

7. #RSVP Wording Advice

 

1. Spell out What RSVP Means

Some guests don’t know what RSVP means and they may not know what is required when they read “RSVP by May 1.”  Instead, you may use these sentences:

 

“Please Reply By 05.01.2020”

“Kindly Reply by May First”

“Please Respond By May First”

“The Favor of Your Reply is requested by May First”

 

2.    Make the RSVP Date Prominent

 

    Place the date in a big font

 

People often make the mistake of placing the RSVP date in a small font and  in the corner where it is easily overlooked or seems unimportant. For quicker responses, ensure the RSVP date is as bold and prominent as the date of your wedding.

 

    Place the date in several places

 

One of the easiest ways to make sure you get more RSVPs in is to make the RSVP date deadline prominent in several places. Besides your RSVP card, adding an RSVP tab to your wedding website for example the homepage also makes it easy for people to see that you need them to respond.

 

3.    Make Your RSVPs Interesting

 

One way to encourage a quick response is to make your RSVPS something creative or funny to get your guests excited about responding!

 

Here are some ideas you can try to personalize your RSVPs:

 

    Use a beautifully decorated RSVP card to attract your guests’ attention

 

    Include question prompts for guests to complete with their RSVP. For  Example:

 

“RSVP with a song that will keep you on the dance floor ”

“RSVP with your favorite memory of the bride and groom”

 

 

    Add a sense of urgency to the date, For example:

 

” Please respond by May 1st so there isn’t a BBQ shortage”

” RSVP by May 1st or forever hold your peace”

” RSVP by May 1st or we will use at least 4 forms of communication to hassle you”

 

  Provide Specific Instructions

 

Whether you’ve opted for digital or traditional invitations, make sure to let guests know how to RSVP.

 

If you want your guests to mail back an RSVP card, include the stamp and the recipient address on the envelope, or direct them specifically to the email, phone number, or URL they should use to RSVP. For example you can include something at the bottom of the card like,

 

“You may also RSVP by email to ourwedding@gmail.com or at our wedding website www.elegantweddinginvites.com. Kindly respond by May 14th.”

“To respond, visit elegantweddinginvites.com”

“Kindly respond using our website:clearweddinginvites.com”

#Dealing with Non-Responders

 

We can almost guarantee you’ll still have some stragglers despite your very best efforts to make the process easy and pain-free. It’s inevitable. It is 100% acceptable to call/email/message/text/bug them. If they are close friends, shoot them a text; if they are distant family, or acquaintances, send them an email or ask your parents/grandparents to reach out to them to ask. A good template would be something like this:

 

“Hi, XX! I hope you are having a great week Just wanted to check in to see if you/you guys are planning to come to the wedding? I’m SO excited to celebrate with everyone :)”

 

funny posts for people who don't reply to your wedding invitations

 

Read up on all wedding invitation etiquette on our blog and be sure to check out all our new wedding invitation designs for 2022 for your RSVP cards!