As any of your married friends will tell you, one of the most demanding parts of wedding planning is figuring out how many guests will be in attendance. Everyone from your wedding venue to your caterer will need an exact headcount, which requires that you receive an RSVP from everyone.

Your married friends will also tell you how difficult this can be!

Getting your wedding RSVP cards in the mail—on time!—plays a vital role in how smooth the wedding planning process will be. In this guide, we’ll give you some tips and tricks on sending out invitations to encourage your guests to RSVP.

How to Get Your Guests to RSVP to Your Wedding

1. Give Your Guests Plenty of Time

Before you set a deadline for the RSVPs, you’ll want to talk to each of your wedding vendors to find out when final headcounts are due. But don’t just pick the earliest date and call it a day.

Keep in mind that many RSVP cards will come in late; you may even have to follow up with some of your guests directly to get an answer from them. Give yourself a bit of wiggle room to account for this.

A good rule of thumb: If you’re mailing your wedding invitations eight weeks before the wedding date, your RSVP cards should be due at least four weeks before.

2. Be Clear

Believe it or not, some of your wedding guests might not be aware that they need to send back an RSVP!

Most couples choose to send a pre-typed RSVP card where guests can write their names and check “Will Attend” or “Will Not Attend” but you can always go a step further. Consider including an explicit request that your friends and family mail the card as soon as possible.

Another tip that many couples swear by? Number the back of your RSVP cards and keep a list of which one was sent to each guest. If an RSVP card comes back with no names (it happens more often than you’d think!), you’ll have no difficulty knowing who it was from.

3. Make It Easy

It’s common courtesy to send a self addressed and stamped return envelope along with your wedding invitations. This envelope should fit your RSVP card and be addressed to you.

It’s also a good idea to put the RSVP deadline directly on this card, just in case guests misplace it.

4. Make a Request On Your Wedding RSVP Cards

Asking for your guests’ meal selection is a (nearly) surefire way to get them to respond. (No one wants to miss out on their favorite dinner item!)

If you’re not offering an entree choice, ask for song requests instead. Not only will your guests be excited to contribute to the reception, but your band or DJ will have an idea of the type of songs that’ll get everyone out on the dance floor.

5. Allow Virtual RSVPs

If your wedding website allows virtual RSVPs, mention this as an additional option on your RSVP cards.

Your younger guests may prefer the ease and simplicity of submitting their information online (and you won’t have to wait for the mail). Plus, it’s less wasteful in terms of RSVP cards and envelopes in addition to the formal invitation, and going green is definitely a popular wedding trend. 

6. Prepare To Give Reminders

No matter how clear you are or how easy you make it, some guests will need to be reminded (which is totally normal)!

Give yourself plenty of time to contact the late responders directly with a polite—from firm—request. This can be done via phone, email, or even social media, depending on your relationship with the person.

 

Kendall Point Is Ready to Host Your Big Day

Getting RSVPs is the one part of wedding planning that relies on your guests—rather than you—to execute, so it’s normal to feel some trepidation over this step.

However, getting your wedding RSVP cards back in a timely manner isn’t entirely out of your control. If you give your guests plenty of time, make it easy for them to respond, and offer plenty of reminders, you can gently encourage them to respond quickly, giving you time to plan everything else!

As your favorite Texas Hill Country wedding venue, Kendall Point is here to make every aspect of your big day as easy and stress-free as possible. Whether you’ve got your date already booked (we can’t wait!) or you’re still looking for your perfect venue, feel free to come to us with all your wedding planning questions.