rsvp due dates

Can you have the RSVP date closer and just do online only RSVPs?

View Quoted Comment I’m sending an rsvp card but I also have the website Which obviously will still be open , people will be more likely to forget to rsvp during the holiday season as well as our wedding is also on Super Bowl Sunday so I didn’t want people to set something up for that date and then get the invites

View Quoted Comment Gotcha. I just thought you were specifically worried about the RSVPs coming back thru the holiday mail. October is a little early for the invites but not horribly so. If I were you I’d send them out towards the end of October and do online only RSVPs and then follow up with people who you don’t hear from.

I already got the rsvp cards so I’m gonna have them in there cuz eff it but I figured reaching out later on ? Idk

I know the holidays are a busy time, but I'd reconsider the deadline being almost 3 months away. Many people will not know that far in advance. We've had a few people change either RSVP within the month of our wedding due to injury, work schedules, etc.

Honestly If I had to request time off work I would have no idea in November if I could get a day off in February. So I would do one of two things. RSVP no because I have no idea or RSVP yes and hope I can get the day off and if I couldn't get the day off then I would let you know or just not show.

Daughter got married 1/19. Invitations went in the mail Thanksgiving week, with the RSVP date of Christmas Day. On the RSVP date we'd heard from all but 10 guests (3 households), and daughter resolved those within 48 hours. We had no changes or no-shows for the wedding. Personally, I think your timeline is MUCH too early. Guests aren't necessarily going to know in November what their availability will be in February. (Probably 40% of daughter's invitees were out-of-start or -country.)

We’re date twins! My fiancé and I actually discussed the holiday thing extensively before deciding on a rsvp date. We are having a destination wedding, and our block rate for our hotel ends on November 30th. We also need to have our final numbers a month ahead of time. So we decided to go with December 10th. This gives us some time to get the stragglers who didn’t send back their responses before Christmas.

So while November 30th may be a little early, it’s not insanely so. If you’re concerned about people needing more time, just mention on your webpage that if they do need an extension on the rsvp date to let you know. I wouldn’t spend the money to have your rsvp cards reprinted. As far as people taking off work and making plans two months prior, if people are really incapable of planning ahead, why do we send out save the dates six months to a year in advance? I think you’re fine with your date. It’s not three months ahead, it’s two, which may be a little earlier than normal but not unreasonable.

Almost date twin 02/22/2020 lol... I am sending out invitations this month, and making my rsvp date 01/22/2020, a month before

I would just put the RSVP date closer to Christmas/New Years, but still send them out earlier so guests can RSVP before ideally. I'd give people the option to RSVP online to avoid mail.

I really do not think you should ask for an RSVP 2 months before the event. People's plans will change and you'll probably end up getting a lot of cancellations. I would make your RSVP due date close to New Years, but you're sending it out in advance enough that people have the option to respond earlier and avoid holiday mail. I'd also make online RSVP an option because it's so much easier and would avoid this problem entirely!

We are sending out RSVP cards and our wedding website will be listed on the invitations. I am NOT good with stuff coming back to me and transferring it somewhere else. RSVP is done all online so I can email the venue with the head count. Online is making everything so much easier.

I understand your concern with the holidays, but your RSVP date is definitely too early. Asking your guests to commit that early may cause some to just decline rather than say yes and have to cancel later. You could actually be creating a bigger headache for yourself by doing it this way if people's plans change closer to the wedding date. You really only need responses a few days before your venue/caterer requires a final head count.

You should be SENDING invites at the end of November, not requesting RSVP's back. RSVP return should be 2-3 weeks before the event date. I think it's way too early.

View Quoted Comment

Agreed.

Your RSVP date should be January 2nd. You can call/ text people the week of the 13th to get final headcount and allow the mail time to get to you.

If you make it much earlier you will be calling MORE people than you think following up with them.

Question - when are your final headcounts due to your vendors?

View Quoted Comment This was my thought plus like I said I do have the website open past the date too so they can use that if needed I figured I’d add that to the q&a section


I forgot to mention I live in SoFlo and due to our wedding being on super bowl Sunday (which is being hosted in Miami this year ) so that adds to having people decide early on if not they might not be able to book hotels

In my opinion, people disregard RSVPs all the time anyways. Holidays will provide an excuse, but I'd stick with your deadline, because I think it's fair as well. But set yourself a soft deadline around 1/1/20 for a few important people that may not get back to you, and maybe be prepared to save a seat/plate for some individuals. That's just giving yourself a little leeway with less stress.

Mines at the end of February, and I think I'll be sending them out in the new year. They already have a save the date.

For you though, I think the end of November. About a month to respond, and it will give something to look forward to for everyone when they're in their post-holiday slump 😊