When Should RSVPs Be Due for a Wedding? Your Questions Answered

As your big day approaches, all your plans need to be finalized — including your wedding catering, seating chart, and guest list. To allow all this to happen, you’ll want to ask your wedding guests to RSVP on time.

But you might be wondering, “When should RSVPs be due for a wedding?” Well, we’re here to help. Discover when your guests should RSVP and how you can encourage them to let you know if they can make it or not by your deadline. 

When Should RSVPs Be Due for a Wedding?

There are no absolutes in wedding planning, but it’s a good idea to ask for RSVPs to be returned 3-4 weeks before your wedding date. This aligns with the usual timeline you’ll be working with to alert your caterers, wedding venue, and other wedding vendors of your final numbers.

Working backward, this means you should send your wedding invitations out no later than 6-8 weeks before the big day. If you’re hosting a destination wedding, extend that timeline to 3-6 months before your wedding date. This gives everyone (especially out-of-town guests) enough time to check their calendar and sort out travel arrangements or childcare.

You don’t have to follow this timeline strictly though. You might want to ask for RSVPs earlier if you absolutely need the final numbers more than a month out. You could also have a shorter RSVP deadline if you’re planning a wedding on a short timeline or if it’s simply a formality and you know your loved ones will be there.

How Can Guests Be Encouraged to RSVP on Time?

We’d all love our friends and family members to send in their RSVP cards or give you a call as soon as the invite lands in their inbox (or mailbox). Good wedding guest etiquette asks them to RSVP on time, but this doesn’t always happen.

The reality is that people are busy or forgetful, or that things can get lost in the mail. This means you won’t get everyone RSVPing on time — but there are some things you can do to encourage your guests to meet your deadline.

1. Send a Save the Date Card

Design: Paper Raven Co.

For many guests, the wedding invitation isn’t the first time they’ll hear about your big day. Sending a save the date (like this beautiful peony-themed card) lets them know further in advance when your wedding date is, allowing them to make a decision much sooner about whether they can attend or not.

You might not collect official RSVPs until your wedding invitations go out, but by sending a save the date, you give your guests plenty of time to consider their plans. This can help them be ready to RSVP yes or no as soon as they receive your invitation.

2. Share All Your Wedding Information

One reason guests might not RSVP in a timely manner is that they’re not clear on whether they can attend or not. This often happens when they don’t have all the details they need to make a decision.

Make sure your wedding invitations clearly state the wedding date, time, location, and exact venue. Include a dress code, along with information for anything unique about your big day — like the theme or unusual entertainment. It’s often too much to include all this on the invite itself, but you can use Greenvelope’s details panel to share all these little details with your loved ones.

3. Set a Clear RSVP Due Date

Your guests can’t know if their wedding RSVP is on time or late unless you set a deadline. Clearly state when your guests should RSVP by on your wedding invitation or include a line requesting they visit your wedding website for details on when and how to RSVP.

If you have close friends or family members that are always late or can never seem to stick to a deadline, you might even want to publish an earlier wedding RSVP deadline than you need. This allows you more flexibility and ample time to gather your final headcount and deliver it to your venue and vendors on time.

4. Provide Advice on How to RSVP

Help your guests to RSVP by instructing them on how they should do it. Some couples may prefer a text or a phone call, while others only want guest RSVPs by email. Decide on how you’d like to handle RSVPs, then share this with your invited guests.

If you’re using Greenvelope’s digital invitations, it’s easy to manage RSVPs and your guest list. Guests can submit their RSVP response directly from the invite, and it updates automatically — meaning you don’t need to worry about keeping your own list of who’s coming and who you need to send a reminder to.

5. Make It Easy

Design: Signature Greenvelope | Invitation: Confetti Burst Invitation

With so many things to keep track of, it’s no wonder that guests don’t always RSVP on time. Make it as easy as possible for them to RSVP by giving them a seamless experience with Greenvelope.

Your guests can open up your wedding invitation, review all your event details, and submit (or update) their RSVP in one place. They can do this on their desktop or on a mobile device, so it’s easy for them to update you on their status wherever they are.

6. Give an Extra Reason to RSVP

It can be tough to get everyone to send in their RSVP cards, even if it’s as easy as clicking a few buttons. For the hardest to engage, you might need to include an extra sweetener — like being able to submit a song request for the DJ to play or guessing what your secret entertainment will be.

With Greenvelope, it’s easy to set up a fun question like this for your guests to answer when they RSVP. Collect all the answers, and use this to build your ultimate wedding day DJ playlist, award a fun prize to the closest guesser, or select someone at random to receive a special gift.

7. Send a Friendly Reminder

Sometimes your guests will be eager to RSVP but simply forget or lose track of time. Pick up those last-minute RSVPs by sending a reminder that the deadline to submit their response is coming up.

Word this in a way that matches your personality. Keep it light and airy, make a joke about turning up late, or opt for a more sophisticated or formal reminder that the RSVP date is approaching.

8. Follow Up with Them for a Final Time

Even with all the incentives and easy-to-use systems, not every guest will RSVP as expected. It’s time to send them one final reminder before the deadline approaches.

Let your guests know that if they can’t RSVP by your final deadline, there’s no guarantee there will be a space reserved for them at your wedding reception. It’s wise to keep some extra table space free, but depending on how many late RSVPs you get this may get used up.

How Should Late RSVPs Be Handled?

RSVP deadlines exist for a reason. Chances are you need to let your vendors know how many people will be attending so they can make the right preparations for your special day. Sometimes an RSVP will come in late though, and it’s important to know how to handle it.

When you receive a late RSVP, let your vendors know as soon as possible. They may be able to alter your table plan, adjust their catering numbers, or update your final guest count. It’s always worth enquiring to see what’s possible.

In some instances, it might not be possible to accommodate your guest on such short notice. There may be room for them to attend the ceremony, but no space at your seated reception dinner and no special meal reserved for them. In moments like this, do what you can to accommodate your guest (or ask your wedding planner to handle this) and continue to enjoy your celebration.

Streamline the Wedding Guest List Process with Greenvelope

It’s not always possible to get every single RSVP in by your deadline — especially if you’re inviting a lot of guests. But with these expert tips you can get closer to your goal of having everyone RSVP on time and hand over those final numbers with confidence.

Your wedding invitation itself can influence how many people RSVP by your deadline. Choose one of our customizable wedding invitations, include all the key information, and make sure your deadline date is obvious. Guests can then RSVP in a few clicks, and you can enjoy an easier way to manage your guest list.