RSVP via email question

I'd definitely write something like "we have reserved x amount of seats for your invite" or something similar. You don't want your friends with 7 kids to assume all the kids are invited if you don't want them to come. Make it clear who is actually invited either by addressing only the couple or addressing the family. If you just let people list their names in an email, you could end up with more "yes" rsvps than you'd want.

I'd recommend the website as well.

If you do go the e-mail route, maybe set up a new account just for that purpose. That way, any responses aren't getting mixed in with your normal emails. I'd be worried about deleting them by accident if they went to my regular email.

I'd also consider ordering some rsvp cards for older guests who potentially don't have email or aren't tech savvy.

We requested online responses, for our wedding 4.5 years ago. All but one couple responded 10 days before our due date. Every one of our 250 invited guests had access to the internet, or knew someone who did. 3 out of 4 grandmothers were able to respond through our wedding website's RSVP function; the oldest was 87 of the time and admits to primarily using the internet to play games.

We were able to input the names of only those who were invited and gave them the option of choosing one of three entrees.

I did want to do the website route and we have a wedding website with zola but for the rsvps we would have to upload each person in order for them to rsvp so I thought it would be better to do the email route. We did make a separate email just so we dont miss any.

I am curious why your RSVP date is 8 weeks before the wedding. That's about when you should first be sending the invitations. Unless that's just a placeholder, check with your venue to see when they need the final number and entrée choices and have your RSVP date be a week before that so you have a week to chase those who didn't RSVP.

Also, if you are asking people to email or call you, you shouldn't have lines before the entrée choices that people would check off. If you are nor having RSVP cards, wouldn't all this be part of the invitation and not a separate card?

I think a website is better since it will prompt everyone to enter all the info you need. Yes, you have to type in all the names, but you'll have to do that anyway in order to give a list to your venue. If you don't want to go that route, I would suggest email only or if you want a phone option, make it text so you have everything in writing.

Thank you yes it is all just a place holder this is the template that I’m still working on filling out and I am still waiting on venue as to what they need, but I am wanting to request rsvps earlier than a week because this will be a destination wedding and all guest will be OOT.

Got it. Just to be clear, I wasn't saying have your RSVPs due a week before. I was saying to find out when the venue needs the information and add a week to that for padding.

If you are paying to print RSVP cards, spring for the extra $0.49 to have guests mail them back. I feel like they will forget to email since the card looks like it should be sent back.

ETA: words

@firstoneat56 Thank you! That makes sense. Im new to all this stuff lol!

I'm going the online RSVP route via the Knot. That way only people invited can respond. And it allows them to opt for their dinner selection at the same time. Plus it populates all of it into a spreadsheet for me so I don't have to be the person keeping track of everyone's responses. So yes, while you do have to input everyone's names into the site initially, you're going to have to do the same process in whatever excel/spreadsheet you use to keep track of your responses.

We're including a "Details" card with the invite that will steer everyone to our website to RSVP by whatever date (and we're still putting the "___ seats have been reserved in your honor) on them so there's no confusion.

You're going to have to track your guests somewhere. As others said, make an Excel spreadsheet and upload it to Zola. I promise you it will be less work than chasing everyone down because they either didn't respond or didn't provide all the information you asked for. And then that way you can just export the spreadsheet with responses to give to your caterer.

Thank you all! I will do the website!

I used WW's website for RSVPs. We were able to list exactly who was invited and you can include meal options. We only had maybe 2 people who had issues with our website. And we could print the guest list and create a seating chart.