Rsvp End Dates: Planning Your Wedding Timeline

Planning a wedding is a complex task, and one of the most important aspects is finalising the guest list. The RSVP by date should be chosen carefully to ensure that you have enough time to organise your final guest list and figure out who hasn't responded yet. It is generally recommended that the RSVP deadline is set for around three to four weeks before the wedding, giving you a buffer to chase up any late responses. This also allows you to provide a final headcount to your caterer and venue, who typically request this information one to two weeks before the wedding. Sending invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding gives guests a reasonable window of about a month to respond. For destination weddings, it is advisable to set an earlier RSVP deadline, about two months before the wedding, to allow guests to make travel arrangements.

Allow enough time for guests to plan and respond

When setting an RSVP deadline for your wedding, it's important to give your guests enough time to plan and respond. Wedding planning can be stressful, and you want to make sure your guests have ample time to make travel arrangements and accommodations if they need to.

It's recommended that you send out your wedding invitations at least eight weeks before your wedding day. This gives your guests around a month to respond, which is considered the ideal amount of time for them to plan and reply. Sending out your invitations earlier also means your guests are less likely to have made other plans, and they will appreciate having more time to make travel plans if they need to. This is especially important if you are having a destination wedding or a holiday wedding, as your guests will need to book time off work and may need to arrange childcare.

If you are sending out save-the-date cards, you can send these much earlier to give your guests a heads-up to mark their calendars. This doesn't require a response, but it will help your guests to plan, especially if they need to travel.

You should set your RSVP deadline for around three to four weeks before your wedding day. This gives you enough time to organize your final guest list and chase up any late responses. It also gives you time to finalize your seating plan and share your final guest count with your caterers and venue.

If you are having a destination wedding, you may want to set your RSVP deadline a little earlier, about six weeks before the wedding. This will give you more time to account for every guest and plan pre- and post-wedding events.

Remember that some guests may need more time to plan and respond, especially if they are travelling from abroad or have other commitments. You may want to consider sending out your invitations in batches to give yourself more time to plan and your guests more time to respond.

Set a deadline for at least four weeks before the wedding

Setting an RSVP deadline for your wedding is crucial to finalising the guest list and planning the seating arrangement. While it is important to give your guests enough time to respond, you also need to ensure you have ample time to follow up with those who haven't replied and finalise the details with your caterer and venue. Therefore, it is recommended that the RSVP deadline be set for at least four weeks before the wedding.

Setting the RSVP deadline for four weeks before the wedding allows for a timely confirmation of the guest list with the caterer and venue. Most caterers and venues will request the final headcount one to two weeks prior to the wedding, so having the responses in at least four weeks in advance gives you some leeway to chase any late responses. This buffer period is crucial, as it is likely that you will need to follow up with some guests, even if you have chosen to send reminders or make it easy for them to respond.

Additionally, setting the RSVP deadline for four weeks before the wedding helps to ensure your guests feel they cannot put off responding, while also not being too close to the wedding that they have already made other plans. This balance is important, as you want to give your guests enough time to check their calendars, make travel arrangements, and submit their responses without causing undue stress or inconvenience.

To further encourage timely responses, it is recommended to include a pre-addressed and pre-stamped return envelope with the invitation. Providing multiple response options, such as digital submissions through a wedding website, can also increase the likelihood of prompt replies.

In summary, setting the RSVP deadline for at least four weeks before the wedding strikes a balance between giving your guests enough time to respond and allowing you the necessary time to finalise details with vendors and follow up on any outstanding responses. This deadline helps to ensure a smooth planning process and a well-organised wedding day.

Send invites at least eight weeks before the wedding

Sending out your wedding invites is an exciting step in the planning process, and it's important to give your guests enough time to respond. While you might be eager to get your guest list finalised, it's best to send your invitations at least eight weeks before your wedding day. This gives your guests ample time to plan and respond, and it's a good idea to set your RSVP deadline for around four weeks before the ceremony.

• Your guests will have time to plan: Your guests will likely need to request time off work, arrange childcare, and make travel plans if they don't live locally. Giving them a couple of months' notice will allow them to make these arrangements without feeling rushed.
• You'll get a more accurate headcount: By giving your guests plenty of time to respond, you're more likely to receive a higher number of RSVPs. This will help you plan your seating chart, and finalise numbers with your caterer and venue.
• You can send reminders: If your RSVP deadline is around four weeks before the wedding, you'll have a couple of weeks to follow up with any guests who haven't responded. Sending reminders can be a helpful nudge for guests who may have forgotten to reply or put it off until later.
• It's a good timeline for destination weddings: If your wedding is at a destination that requires travel, giving your guests extra time to plan their trip is considerate and helpful. You may also want to send save-the-dates even earlier so that guests can book their travel and accommodation at a reasonable rate.
• You'll have time to create and send invitations: Creating and sending invitations takes time, especially if you're doing it by hand or using a unique design. Starting the process eight weeks before the wedding will give you enough time to carefully craft and send your invitations without feeling rushed.

Remember, while eight weeks is a good guideline, you may need to adjust this timeline depending on your specific circumstances. For example, if many of your guests are coming from overseas or if your wedding is during a busy travel season, you may want to send your invitations even earlier. On the other hand, if your wedding is more local and low-key, you may be able to send your invites a bit later.

Send reminders to non-responders

It is important to set an RSVP deadline and stick to it. Wedding RSVPs should be due at least four weeks before the wedding, and absolutely no later than two weeks before the wedding day. The sweet spot for your RSVP due date is around three to four weeks before the wedding. This gives you enough time to organize your final guest list and figure out who, if anyone, hasn't responded yet.

If your wedding RSVP deadline has passed, wait about a week before sending follow-ups to guests who haven't responded yet. A friendly phone call or text will politely nudge them. To get ahead of the game, you can send guests a quick wedding RSVP reminder the week before they are actually due or add a note to your wedding website. Plan to follow up with all guests who haven't RSVP'd at least two weeks before the wedding. If anyone's RSVP is missing information, now is the time to follow up about those details too.

> The final countdown before our big day is on! If you haven't already done so, please send in your RSVP by [deadline date] so we can have an accurate final headcount. Feel free to check out our wedding website [link to site] for more details, and reach out with any questions. Looking forward to celebrating with you!

If you are still waiting on RSVPs, you can also try to make it easier for your guests to respond. For example, you could give them a few different ways to respond. Along with a paper RSVP card tucked into the invitation suite, you can use an online platform to collect RSVPs through your wedding website.

Give yourself a buffer to chase late responses

It's important to give yourself a buffer to chase late responses. You might set an RSVP deadline, but that doesn't mean everyone will stick to it. It's a good idea to give yourself a couple of weeks to gather tardy responses and give your venue an accurate headcount by their deadline.

If your wedding is on June 20th, for example, and your venue wants your final headcount by June 6th, your RSVP date should be May 23rd. This gives you a two-week window to gather late responses.

Some couples suggest sending your wedding invitations about three weeks before the RSVP date. This will give everyone time to check their calendars and make travel reservations, and get their RSVP in on time.

If your RSVP deadline has passed, wait about a week before sending follow-ups to guests who haven't responded. A friendly phone call or text will politely nudge them. You can also send a quick reminder the week before the RSVP deadline.

It's worth noting that some couples choose to stagger their invitations, sending them out in batches. This can be helpful if you have a package with your venue that includes catering, for example, and you want to keep track of the number of guests.

Remember, it's important to set an RSVP deadline and stick to it. Give yourself a buffer, but don't wait too long for responses as you'll need to confirm numbers with your caterer, venue, and other vendors.

Frequently asked questions