6 Tips on Dealing with RSVPs!

Every bride experiences the challenge of finalizing the guest count. The caterer is asking. The venue wants to know how many chairs to set out. You’re shopping for wedding favors.

It’s hard to predict how many people are going to actually come to your wedding. So what do you do if only half of your RSVPs have been returned?

We’re sharing a few tips on the J&A Blog to help you get a more accurate guest count for your wedding!

(Paper Suite by Salt + Paperie)

1. Keep an easy-to-access list of everyone you’ve invited to your wedding. *Tip: Excel works great!* As the RSVPs are returned, mark them off your list. It will make it much easier to go back later and see who you’re missing! Use your list to not only keep track of who is attending and how many, but also any wedding gifts you may receive. It will make writing those thank you notes easier!

*Tip: Make sure you keep this list up to date! Keeping up with it will make your task so much easier when crunch time comes.*

2. Don’t be afraid to track people down! And don’t do it all yourself. You don’t have time! Enlist the help of your Maid of Honor or another close friend to jump on your Facebook or email account and start sending messages. It can be as simple as, “Hey! I don’t think I received your RSVP for our wedding, and I’d love to have you there! Will you be able to make it?”

3. Give your guests an option to RSVP digitally if they prefer. Include an email address or wedding website that they can RSVP to on your invitation. Make RSVPing as convenient as possible.

4. Don’t give your guests a really long time before the RSVPs are due. If you give them more than two or three weeks, they’re likely to procrastinate and forget about it!

Also, make it clear in your wording that you expect people to RSVP whether they’re attending or not. Some people assume that they don’t need to RSVP if they’re not coming. Make sure they know what you expect them to do!

5. Give each RSVP a number and write it lightly on the card. Keep track of which guest corresponds with that number. Believe it or not, some RSVP cards are returned without a name!

6. Make RSVPing fun and interactive. Have your guest write down their favorite song to give to the DJ or an idea for a fun date night. When people feel engaged, they’re more likely to respond. Who doesn’t want their song playing on the dance floor?

At the end of the day, remember that there’s no way for you to know exactly how many people will actually come. Whether it’s a last minute commitment elsewhere or a last minute opportunity to come, people don’t always stick with their original response. Just use your best guess, plan for a few extra, and enjoy your day!

(Paper Suite by Salt + Paperie)

*hugs*

Amber