We all know how busy life can get and sending an RSVP might get forgotten or pushed down someone’s long to-do list.
There are a few ways to work around the struggles of stragglers:
This is one of the easiest workarounds to avoiding lagging RSVPs because most people will simply respond as they browse your wedding website or go straight to RSVP and respond then read the information later when it.
It is the most convenient method for most of your guests; and the more convenient something is for someone the more they are likely to do it. You may have a few technologically challenged people who need some assistance in RSVPing online but you can always call those people and confirm.
It is also super quick and easy to create online stationery. They are also a budget and environmentally friendly option.
Using a wedding website RSVP method will also give your guests quick access to all the relevant information they will need about your wedding like dress code, the link(s) to your gift registries, accommodation suggestions, etc.
Digital RSVPing will likely be the best option here but we understand the appeal of traditional paper stationery. If you are happy to do so, you can also give guests the option to RSVP over multiple platforms like text, email, etc.
Just remember to either keep track of the responses on paper or on a digital platform like Happly. Mark off your guests as attending or not attending as you receive the responses or update them if a guest can no longer make it.
Generally, if you are ordering your invites, they will come in a matching suite that includes the invite card, the RSVP card, and matching envelopes.
We highly recommend you get your RSVP cards and envelopes pre-addressed and stamped so your guests simply have to fill them in and mail it back hassle free.
Another common mishap is guests will forget to add their names to the cards, we suggest adding a number, letter or some way to identify the card and who it belongs to so you can still see who it is if the guest has forgotten any identifying information.
Don’t have any room for ambiguity. Tell your guests exactly what you need from them and when you need it by. Make this clearly visible and obvious no matter the type of invite you are sending – spell out everything for them.
On your physical stationery make sure the deadline for the RSVP is not placed somewhere hard to find and amongst other pieces of information. It is an important bit of information and needs to be clearly visible from the outset.
This can be any extra information you may want to request from your guests that is an RSVP and meal choice.
Do they have any song requests/suggestions? Do they want to leave you a personal note? Do you want to ask for date night ideas? The list goes on.
Try to swap the generic “Yes, attending” and “No, can’t attend” with something fun and/or a little more unique. Things like “See you on the dance floor” “Let’s party” “No, but I will regret missing the party” “No, but will celebrate in spirit” “Yes, will celebrate in person” are some ways you can spice up the traditional and formal ways of RSVP wording.
Try include a cheeky or playful comment about late RSVPing to the invites as well. An example would be: “If you don’t RSVP by [chosen date], please bring a chair and snacks”.
Your RSVP deadline has arrived and there are some guests who haven’t sent in their RSVPs… This doesn’t mean they aren’t coming – it could simply be a case of ‘life is busy’ and they have forgotten to send one in. Don’t assume anything at this point.
We recommend taking a few days to a week or so past your deadline and tally off all your responses (especially if you used mailed invites – there is a reason it’s called snail mail) on either your Happly guest list (or other platform but like why wouldn’t you be using Happly?) or any spreadsheet you are using to track responses.
This will give you a good idea of who’s RSVP is outstanding and/or if there is any missing information from other guests who have RSVPed already. Now, you can send out some gentle reminders to your guests.
You can send out reminders to specific guests using your Happly guest list to let them know they haven’t sent in an RSVP yet. Alternatively, you can pop the people you need answers from a call, text or email (maybe even a combo) to get the answers you need.
If they are guests your parents requested be there, ask them to put a little pressure for a response as needed.
Generally, your structure should include:
Try to be personal if you are sending individual texts and emails but if time is an issue have a template and copy and paste while making a few changes per guest (we’ll accept groups as well like a couple). Just don’t mass email, text, or call to 30 recipients at once – you may embarrass or upset someone.
Even if you aren’t explicitly telling people you need an answer by X, you still need to have a cut off date in mind for collecting your RSVPs as you will need to provide you suppliers and venue with a final headcount.
Not only does your final guest list affect your wedding costs, it also delays your seating plan preparation; and while Happly’s seating plan tool is easy to use – navigating the political landscape of seating plans is not always easy and it is one of those tasks people just want done before they tear their hair out (good thing there are some fire wigs out there now days… just in case).
When it comes to offering incentives for your guests to RSVP, it's important to keep in mind the goal is to encourage them to respond on time or ASAP, not to bribe them into attending your wedding. With that in mind, here are a few small incentive ideas that you could consider:
The most important thing here is to express your gratitude for your guests' timely responses. You will (hopefully) know your guests enough to decide what little RSVP thank-you to give them. Just bear in mind your wedding favours when you do so.
Give yourself sufficient time to gather RSVPs and send reminders and account for the procrastinators and extra forgetful members of your guest list.
The most common RSVP deadline is four weeks before the wedding day. If you want to play it safe, set your deadline for 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding date or in accordance to what your venue and vendors final guest count deadlines are plus 1-2 weeks.
If it is a destination wedding aim for 8-12 weeks prior to the wedding date or in accordance to what your venue and vendors final guest count deadlines are plus at least 2 weeks to ensure all plans can be set appropriately.
Be sure to keep on top of all your RSVPs as they arrive by whatever you chosen method(s) are. Happly’s guest list feature makes this super easy but if you prefer paper, make sure to mark it off the same day so you don’t lose track.
"Dear [Guest Name], I hope this message finds you well. We wanted to check in and see if you've had a chance to RSVP for our wedding yet. The deadline is quickly approaching, and we'd love to have you there to celebrate with us. Please let us know if you'll be able to attend. Thank you!"
"Hi [Guest Name], we wanted to send a friendly reminder about our upcoming wedding and the RSVP deadline. We understand how busy life can get, but we'd really appreciate it if you could take a moment to let us know if you'll be joining us. We can't wait to celebrate with you!"
"Dear [Guest Name], we wanted to follow up on your RSVP for our wedding. We hope you're able to join us, but if for some reason you can't, please let us know so we can finalise our guest list. We appreciate your prompt response and look forward to hearing from you soon."
"Hey [Guest Name], we're getting closer to our wedding date, and we're excited to celebrate with our loved ones. We noticed that we haven't received your RSVP yet, and we wanted to make sure you didn't miss the deadline. If you could let us know your plans, we'd really appreciate it. Thanks!"
"Dear [Guest Name], we wanted to touch base and remind you about our wedding RSVP deadline. We're hoping you can make it, but if you can't, we completely understand. Please let us know either way so we can finalize our plans. Thank you for your consideration!"
"Hi [Guest Name], we're getting excited for our wedding day and can't wait to celebrate with you. We noticed that we haven't received your RSVP yet, and we wanted to make sure you have all the information you need. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know. We hope to hear from you soon!"
"Dear [Guest Name], we wanted to check in and see if you'll be able to join us for our wedding celebration. We know how busy life can get, but we wanted to make sure you didn't miss the deadline. We hope you can make it, and we look forward to seeing you soon!"
"Hey [Guest Name], we wanted to send a quick reminder about our wedding RSVP deadline. We'd love to have you there to celebrate with us, and we don't want you to miss out. If you haven't had a chance to respond yet, please let us know as soon as possible. Thank you!"
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