Do any of my guests know what RSVP Means (Venting)

[BeachBound2011]

Has anyone done an RSVP online?  Our wedding website has a page for RSVPs and I was wondering if anyone has had better success with an online RSVP?  We're sending out our invitations in a month and I'm really nervous about RSVPs - we have to give a head count to the restaurants, rent the ceremony chairs etc. . .  

[samfina]

We have our RSVP on our website.  We`re sending out our invites in a few days, as soon as we get everyone`s addresses.  So we`ll see how that goes..

[ablj209]

I sent out 50 invitations in September with an RSVP date of November 1st.  So far, I have received back about 10.  The problem is that the 10 I have received, I already knew if they were coming or not.. it's the distant relatives that I don't speak to on a regular basis that I am really waiting to hear back from.  It's frustrating!! I went a little overboard with the OOT bags and actually ordered far too much stuff !! I think I may have some Punta Cana goodies to sell (notebooks, travel mugs etc) when we get closer to the date.  I might give some out to the people I knew who wanted to come, but really couldn't afford it.  

[82turtles]

Question -- how far in advance do you usually set the RSVP deadline for a destination wedding?? I haven't booked a date yet, so it's not too pressing of an issue, but looking at November 2011.  Any help on this? I'm assuming STDs will go as soon as we get the date set, and then follow up with actual invite with details on resort, activities, TA booking info, etc. When should I send those out and when should I ask for the reply? Thanks!

[LMango]

I once didn't send my RSVP, because they gave 2 weeks notice and didn't send a response card.It's just lazy and rude to expect you to hold the show for them, though.

 

 

[AfricanVenus]

We're going to try to give our guests about a month to RSVP. However, we told the ones who were on a need-to-know basis about it from well in advance. We're doing the RSVP in the passport invite. The RSVP card includes our wedding website. If they're coming, then we provide them with the password for the website. If they're not, then no password. We don't want people who aren't coming to be all up in the details and showing others we don't know just for the sake of wanting to know.

[delgadot]

I have a way to go before I am going to be going through this procress of RSVP's (wedding set for July 2012) but I know I am most likely going to go through the same stress of having people not send in the RSVP card and expect that I knew they were coming!! I am going to send out my STD 1 year in advance and then the actual inviation 7 months in adavance and I will have the deadline set for 3 months before the wedding.

 

Crossing my fingers this process goes smooth!   

[Avens]

I kind of assumed that if people were coming, they would know ahead of time because of taking vacation time etc.

 

That's not fun, I hope mine are better! Lol.

[karyan]

I'vee been using the RSVP function with our wedding website, and out of 228 STD's sent I have had 36 RSVP yes and 11 RSVP no.......we sent them at the end of Sept 2010 (gives everyone a year) and I stipulated that formal invitations will ONLY be sent to those who RSVP online. 

 

We are now sending mass emails out to people to 

 

a) remind them to RSVP yes or no

telling them to check out the group discount code

c) let them know if there are any good flights to Hawaii

 

We haven't given a date for RSVPs (because there will always be people doing it a the last minute!) but I feel like I will be constantly nagging people.....I've also asked that "maybe's" RSVP attending just so that they can be kept in the loop.

 

So I think no matter what you do, you'll be calling/emailing/nagging people to RSVP!

[Sallee]

I think I would send out the invites but as them to fill in the online RSVP page online, this is easier for guests and means that they can keep the pretty invite