Sending RSVP with Save the Dates?

How am I supposed to accurately tell you what I'll be doing in May 2015?

Save the Dates, by definition, are not the same thing as invitations

I agree with Kate. There is no way I would be able to RSVP to something over 6 - 8 months away, and if your guests are similar, then you may not end up with an accurate count.

... ok. Well I guess I will have to pick the venue closer to the date :s

Wish it worked that way, but it doesn't. Save the Dates just mean that. "Please reserve the date for my wedding if you can." If money is an issue, just invite those closest to you that you think wouldn't miss it.

I am wondering the same thing. Mine is in NZ and many people I am inviting will be from Canada and the UK. So even though it is a year away, I am sure most will know straight off the bat if they can afford to take a few weeks off work, fly 14-26 hours, and spend a few grand to come to my wedding. But I'm also not really sure if I should put an RSVP option in the save the date, and how to word it. It would definitely be really helpful to my planning if I was to know early on if people can't make it, as then I can extend the invite to others who were cut (who also live abroad and will need tonnes of notice!)

I wouldnt wait so long to book your venue though. The longer you wait the higher the risk that your date gets booked. I would make your guestlist, and book a place that will hold that capacity.

@ Stacey Exactly! I cannot make any real decision until I know how many people will come. I hope we can find a solution

I am doing my RSVP's online, and I am including a note in my StD's that gives the names of the hotels, and letting people know they can RSVP now if they so choose. The reason is we are having our wedding during a HUGE event that will take up all the hotels in the area, so I want people who are coming from far away to book soon. Secondly, since so many people are coming from out of town and need to fly, they may as well RSVP when they book their plane tickets and make hotel reservations. Also, if it's a destination wedding and they need to book flights, yeah, they might know now if they will be going, but I'm not sure you can count on it.

However, how in the world can you send out StDs or RSVP's without a venue booked? How can you know that it will even be available by the time you want to book it, for the date you booked it?

Oh, and some people might call my note tacky or innapropriate.

Pick a larger venue based on your guest list. Do not wait to book a venue. The cost should be based per person anyways so it would not matter how big it is. Just a thought.

You might want to lock in a venue first and then figure everything else out later. Things book up fast and I would hate to see you so concerned about the size of the guest list that you miss out on a venue that you love because it's already booked. Especially here in Jersey!

Thanks Everyone!