Your RSVP card is a vital tool in the wedding planning process. Not only do they let you know who is coming to your big day, they also note the meal choices of what attending guests wish to eat.
Without RSVPs, you have the potential to be sucked into a dark vortex where you can’t quite move forward in seating arrangements or final guest counts because you don’t know the answers to the important “who” and “how many” questions.
One way to avoid this dark hole of confusion is giving your wedding guests a specific amount of time to respond back and let you know if they can celebrate with you!
Fun and sophisticated
#1 Mistake of RSVPS
One of the most common mistakes Persnickety sees in wedding invitations is mailing invitations too early. Giving your guests too much time to respond runs the risk of them forgetting to mail back their responses. This has the potential to ruin your final guest count.
So when should you ask for your guests to respond by? Persnickety recommends at least 30 days in advance of your wedding date.
Why 30 days? Because many venues and caterers need a final count about two weeks in advance. Requesting RSVPs 30 days ahead of time will give you at least two weeks to track down any stragglers who have yet to respond.
However, you definitely need to consult your venue to see what date they require a final count by . . . some venues do require a count earlier than two weeks.
World map seating chart
For destination weddings, the RSVPs are required earlier than 30 days. You will have sent your Save the Dates a year in advance and invitations at least six months in advance. That way, guests can begin saving and making airline and hotel accommodations. You’ll need final RSVPs about 8 weeks ahead of your destination wedding date.
The Magic Number
30 days ahead of your wedding day is when you want guests to RSVP. For additional advice on when to mail Save the Dates and invitations and other vital wedding stationery timeline dates, check out Persnickety’s I’m Engaged, Now What? blog post!
If you have specific questions related to your wedding stationery, Persnickety would love to help. Schedule your appointment with a member of our team here!
