If you don’t know what to put for your RSVP by date, you’re not alone!  It’s one of the most frequently asked questions couples ask me (followed by how should I word my invitations!).

 

 

Let’s start at the beginning.  If you’re not sure when to order your invitations, check out this blog post.  It gives you the ins and outs on when to order and mail your wedding invitations.  Knowing this simple timeline can help you understand exactly when to set your reply by date.

I always recommend sending your invitations 6-8 weeks before your RSVP date, but we’ll get into why in just a minute.  I caution on sending invitations too early, too, but that’s another blog post all on it’s own!  When it comes to choosing a reply date for your RSVP card there’s quite a few things you should consider.

Venue/Caterer Headcount Deadline

The first thing I ask my client is when their venue or caterer needs their final headcount.  Sometimes it’s 7-10 days before the wedding date, but there’s some venues that need it four weeks in advance.  Give yourself a ten day buffer and make that your RSVP date.  Then send your invitations out six to eight weeks prior to that date.  Why?  For a few very important reasons:
1. There will always be someone who doesn’t RSVP and you’ll need to chase them down.
2. You’ll have plenty of time to make seating arrangements stress free
3. This gives us time to make your day of stationery (place cards, table numbers, seating charts) without rushing.  Win-win-win!

 

Day of Stationery

You want your final headcount confirmed before we move forward with printing your day of stationery.  Don’t worry, we’ll begin the design process months in advance — but we can’t move forward with printing until you have your final count.  Knowing your final headcount in time is beneficial to making sure you have the right quantities!

Planning to order pieces for the wedding day like place cards, menus, programs, and welcome notes? You’ll want your guest list confirmed ahead of finalizing these. Since the design process for day of stationery usually begins a few weeks before the big day, asking for RSVPs back in time is very helpful to make sure you get the right quantities!

Exceptions

There’s always an exception to the rule!  If you’re having a destination wedding or getting married around a holiday, you might be sending invitations out earlier… which means I recommend setting an earlier RSVP date.

 

Ready to get started on your wedding invitations?  Drop me a line today!  I’m booking for 2021 and 2022 weddings.