When to ask guests to RSVP
Send invitations 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding (8 to 12 for a destination wedding) and set your reply-by date 3 to 4 weeks before the day. That leaves time to chase late replies and still give your caterer and venue final numbers - they usually want them 1 to 2 weeks before.
With online RSVPs you can see replies the moment they arrive, so a reminder a week before the deadline to the guests who haven't answered is usually all the chasing you need.
What to ask on your RSVP
Keep it short - every extra question means a slower reply. The questions that actually help you plan:
- Will you attend? (for each person in the household)
- Meal choice, if you're serving a plated dinner
- Dietary needs or allergies - your caterer will ask
- Plus-one's name, if you've offered one
- A song request or a message for the two of you - optional, and lovely to read
Online RSVP vs. RSVP cards
Paper reply cards look beautiful but need stamps, get lost in the post and arrive with handwriting to decipher. Online RSVPs are faster for guests, free, and you never have to type a reply into a spreadsheet. Many couples do both: a printed invitation with a line like "Kindly reply at" and their wedding website address.
Every BrideSpark email is sent from a properly authenticated address, one guest at a time and gradually rather than all at once, with a plain-text version and an unsubscribe link - the things inbox providers look for, so invitations reach inboxes rather than spam.