Rsvps - how to get guests to respond!

When people verbally tell you their plans, you could reply with something along the lines of, "Thank you for letting me know! Can you please make sure to also formally RSVP on our website? That's the easiest way for us to keep track of what everyone's plans are." I probably wouldn't send out a mass email, though would instead reach out individually to each person who doesn't RSVP by the deadline.

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Thank you. This is helpful advice.

Are you using Weddingwire or another site (Zola, Knot, etc.) to manage RSVP’s?

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We are using the Knot and we did send out a gentle reminder and even that did not help!

Unpopular opinion but many people of all ages don’t like using websites for rsvps and weddings in general. They find it easier to mark a card the day they receive the invitation rather than varying degrees of difficulty going online and hoping the website doesn’t glitch. You can’t force guests to use online as your only RSVP method and get mad when they have issues with it. They are not doing anything wrong even if you feel they are. Do not send any emails. You also cannot approach anyone about RSVPs until the day of the deadline which is when you start contacting via telephone those who did not reply.

I am having the same problem.. As our deadline was April 1st. but I extended a 2 week window of April 15th and I still can't get people to formally RSVP on our site. it's upsetting. specially when they say they are attending but won't confirm it on our site. I just made a post on here about what I am experiencing with my guest. So I feel ya and know exactly what you mean. it's exhausting.

View Quoted Comment Don’t extend your due date. There is a reason why the 4 week reply due date exists and vendors need a final headcount at 2-3 weeks. On the day of the due date, after you tally all the replies that came in the mail that day in addition to those you already received, then you start in calling down the list of those who didn’t reply. Do not hang up until they give you a yes or no when you ask if they will be attending. If they don’t answer, you mark them as a no and move to the next person on the list. Do not leave a voicemail for them to contact you because they will not. There is no reason why you should have extended the due date because they don’t care about you or your time and the extension will not give you the results you want.

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Thank you for your input. I will be looking at our list this weekend and going through and sorting it out with who hasn't RSVPed.

View Quoted Comment It should not take longer than 1-2 days after the due date to go down the list. Anyone who doesn’t respond during that time will be marked as a no and then you give your headcount to the caterer. If they show up at the wedding expecting a seat at the reception, they are in the wrong for not responding appropriately and will be turned away. Do not ask your venue to set up extra tables on the spot to accommodate anyone because that rewards their ignorance.

View Quoted Comment Oh they will be turned away. No extra tables will be set up.