Rsvp Deadline For Your Wedding: How Far In Advance?

Setting an RSVP deadline for your wedding is an important part of wedding planning. It can be frustrating to wait for your guests to RSVP, but it's crucial to set a deadline and stick to it. The deadline should be at least four weeks before the wedding and no later than two weeks before. This gives you enough time to organize the final guest list and figure out who hasn't responded. It's also important to consider the caterer and venue's need for a headcount, which is usually one to two weeks before the wedding. Sending invitations six to eight weeks ahead of the wedding is recommended, giving guests four to five weeks to RSVP. This allows them to make travel arrangements if necessary. It's essential to include the deadline on the invitations and wedding website, and it's advisable to follow up with guests who haven't responded after the deadline.

RSVPs: How much time to give guests

When it comes to your wedding, it's important to give your guests enough time to RSVP. While you might be eager to get their responses as soon as possible, setting a realistic deadline is crucial. Here are some guidelines to help you determine how much time to give your guests to RSVP:

Recommended RSVP deadline

Wedding experts recommend setting your RSVP deadline about four weeks before your wedding date. This allows you enough time to finalise the guest list, make travel arrangements, and confirm numbers with your caterer and venue. Keep in mind that your caterer and venue will typically request an accurate headcount one to two weeks before the wedding, so work backwards from there.

For example, if your wedding is on June 20th, and your venue wants the final headcount by June 6th, set your RSVP deadline for May 23rd. This gives you a two-week window to gather late responses and provide the venue with an accurate headcount.

Sending out invitations

To ensure your guests have ample time to plan and respond, send out your invitations at least eight weeks before the wedding. This gives guests enough time to figure out their schedules, make travel arrangements if necessary, and respond to your invitation.

Dealing with late responses

Even with a clear deadline, some guests may respond late or forget to respond altogether. Plan to spend some time sending reminders to those who haven't replied by the deadline. It's a good idea to start following up with guests about a week after the deadline has passed. While it may feel awkward, it's important to get a final guest count as soon as possible, especially as you get closer to the wedding date.

Destination and holiday weddings

If you're planning a destination wedding or a wedding during the holidays, it's a good idea to give your guests even more notice. Consider sending out save-the-date cards to give everyone a heads-up, and send your invitations three months in advance. This will allow your guests enough time to make travel arrangements and join you on your special day.

When to follow up with guests

So, you've sent out your wedding invitations and are now awaiting your guests' RSVPs. But what happens when some guests don't respond by the deadline? Here's a guide on when to follow up with them:

• Wait a week after the RSVP deadline: Give your guests some grace. They may simply have forgotten to respond or missed the deadline. Waiting a week before following up is a polite gesture and will give them a little more time to respond.
• Send a friendly reminder: After a week has passed, it's time to send a friendly reminder to those who haven't responded. A quick text, email, or phone call will do the trick. You can also send a reminder through your wedding website or a private message on social media. Be enthusiastic and express your eagerness for their attendance to increase the likelihood of receiving a response.
• Follow up two weeks before the wedding: If you still haven't heard back from some guests, it's important to follow up again, especially if you need final numbers for your caterer and venue. Let them know that you need their response to include them in the final headcount. Be clear and direct, but remain polite and enthusiastic.
• Mark non-responders as not coming: If, after your multiple attempts to reach out, you still haven't received a response, it's reasonable to assume that they are not coming. It's important to give yourself enough time to finalise the details of your wedding, such as seating arrangements and entree selections, so make the decision to mark them as not attending if they haven't responded after your follow-ups.
• Send reminders before the RSVP deadline: To increase the chances of receiving timely responses, consider sending a reminder to all guests about a week before the RSVP deadline. This will help jog their memory and show your guests that timely responses are important to you.
• Collect RSVPs early for destination weddings: If you're having a destination wedding, it's a good idea to send invitations and collect RSVPs earlier than you would for a local wedding. This will give your guests more time to make travel arrangements and allow you to have a better idea of the guest count for your venue and vendors.

How to create a deadline for a destination wedding

Planning a destination wedding is no easy feat, and setting an RSVP deadline is one of the most important tasks to ensure everything goes smoothly. Here are some tips on how to create a deadline for a destination wedding:

Send Invitations Early

It is recommended to send out invitations for a destination wedding early; at least 2-3 months before the wedding. This gives your guests ample time to make travel arrangements and accommodations. Sending invitations early is crucial, especially if your wedding is during a busy holiday season, to ensure your invitations don't get lost in the mail or overlooked amidst the holiday craze. It's also beneficial to send invitations before the holidays so that guests are aware of the wedding expenses before they spend their budget on gifts.

Set an RSVP Deadline

The RSVP deadline for a destination wedding should be at least 4-6 weeks before the wedding. This gives you enough time to organize the final details, such as food, seating, and tickets for any planned excursions. However, the deadline may vary depending on external factors. For example, if you have secured a special group rate for your guests through a travel agent, you should ask the agent when they need the final headcount to secure the group rate. Similarly, if you're working with a caterer, they will need the final headcount by a certain date to plan for meals. Communicate with your vendors and give yourself a buffer of a few weeks to gather all the information.

Be Clear and Provide Options

When setting the RSVP deadline, ensure that it is clearly stated on the invitation and your wedding website. Make the date legible and obvious, perhaps even including a countdown ticker on your website. Additionally, provide multiple options for guests to RSVP, such as through mail, email, or your wedding website. This increases the likelihood of timely responses.

Follow Up

Even with a clear deadline, you may still need to follow up with guests who haven't responded. It is recommended to give yourself a week or two buffer after the deadline to chase down any missing RSVPs. You can politely reach out and ask for an answer, but if they can't commit within a few days, it's reasonable to count them out of the final headcount.

Manage Guest Expectations

It's important to be transparent with your guests about the costs they will incur for the destination wedding. Be clear that they are expected to pay for their travel and accommodation, unless you specify otherwise. Additionally, providing booking information, such as flight options and resort details, can be incredibly helpful for your guests. This ensures they have the necessary information to make their travel plans.

By following these steps, you can effectively create an RSVP deadline for your destination wedding, ensuring a well-organized and seamless planning process.

What to do if a guest doesn't RSVP

When it comes to wedding planning, one of the most important things to consider is the guest list. After all, you want to make sure that you have enough food, drinks, and seating for everyone. That's why it's crucial to set an RSVP deadline and stick to it. Here are some steps you can take to handle the situation when a guest doesn't RSVP:

• Give guests a reasonable deadline: It's recommended to set the RSVP deadline around two to four weeks before the wedding. This gives you enough time to follow up with any non-responders and finalize the details with your caterer and venue.
• Send a friendly reminder: A week or so before the RSVP deadline, send a friendly reminder to your guests. This can be done via email, text, or a phone call. Let them know that you're excited about the wedding and would appreciate their response soon.
• Follow up with non-responders: If the RSVP deadline has passed and you still haven't heard from some guests, it's time to take a more direct approach. Call, text, or email them again, politely asking for their response. Let them know that you need to provide final numbers to the caterer and venue soon.
• Assume non-response as a 'no': If you've made multiple attempts to contact the guest and still haven't received a response, it's safe to assume that they aren't planning to attend. Send them a final message or voicemail politely stating that you assume they aren't able to make it to the wedding.
• Be prepared for unexpected guests: Despite your best efforts, there may still be guests who show up without RSVPing. In this case, it's up to you to decide how to handle the situation. Some options include accommodating them if possible, asking them to wait and see if any seats open up, or politely turning them away.
• Don't stress too much: Remember, this is your big day, and you want to enjoy it! While it's important to have an accurate headcount, don't let non-responsive guests ruin your happiness. Focus on celebrating with the people who are able to attend and make the most of your special day.

By following these steps, you can effectively handle guests who don't RSVP, ensuring that your wedding planning goes as smoothly as possible.

How to streamline the RSVP process

Planning a wedding can be stressful, and one of the most frustrating parts of the process is getting your guests to RSVP. Here are some tips to help you streamline the RSVP process and make your life a little easier.

Set a clear deadline

First things first, set an RSVP deadline that gives you enough time to follow up with any stragglers and finalize numbers with your caterer and venue. The general consensus is that RSVP deadlines should be around four weeks before the wedding. This gives you a couple of weeks to chase any late responses and means you're not asking your guests to commit too far in advance.

Send out invitations with plenty of notice

It's recommended that you send out your invitations six to eight weeks before your wedding. This gives your guests enough time to plan and make travel arrangements if necessary, without being so far in advance that they forget to RSVP.

Make it easy for your guests to respond

There are a few things you can do to make the RSVP process as simple as possible for your guests:

• Include a stamped envelope if you're asking guests to send their RSVP by mail.
• Give guests a few different ways to respond, such as by mail, email, text, or through your wedding website.
• If you're collecting any additional information, such as dietary restrictions or song requests, make this clear on the invitation.

Send a reminder before the deadline

A friendly reminder about a week before the deadline can be a good way to encourage guests to respond and reduce the number of late replies. You could also add a note to your wedding website or send updates to all guests with schedule changes or reminders.

Start following up after the deadline

Don't be afraid to start following up with guests who haven't responded as soon as the deadline has passed. You can send a friendly text or email to nudge them, and it's also a good idea to call anyone who hasn't replied after a week or so. The sooner you get an idea of your final guest count, the better.

Frequently asked questions