RSVP timeframe - help needed!!!

vav11238 · August 6, 2011

I'd recommend not giving till May 1st for a wedding in May. My only reason being that it becomes difficult to plan. If you have 20 guests coming, you may decide to do a welcome party on a boat and something else but if 50 are coming you'll want to make other arrangements because the expenditre of money becomes a concern. And I think you'll be stressed if people can decide so last minute. Especially if the resort gets booked and then they're calling about other arrangements. I've spoken to a couple of other brides and they've made sense out of giving people three months - no more. But if you want to give it more time then do to April 1st - five months is more than enough time and, I think, will not make you insanely stressed.

But this is just my opinion, of course.

Originally Posted by IslandBride201x

I don't know what the right answer is to the timing of everything, but here is what I am doing... I sent save the dates out 14 months in advance (May 2011) giving people plenty of time to save and plan. I gave our travel agent's information and any other information someone would need to book. I didn't ask for any kind of rsvp at that point. We have had 17 people book their trip so far. My plan is to send out the invitations in January (6 months prior). I am putting my rsvp date as May 1 as that is the final payment date with the travel agent. I figure the booking is the official rsvp, so the post card is just a formality. I might still have some stragglers after May 1st looking for a last minute deal, but I would like to start buying items that are dependent on who goes in May. I am hoping this might help to alleviate the last minute stress and allow us to enjoy the weeks leading up to the wedding... I could be dreaming about that... LOL

IslandBride201x · August 8, 2011

I totally and completely agree with you... but my wedding is in July, not May. hahaha... I would go absolutely insane stressing myself out. May is when everyone's final payment it due, so I am going with the notion that people will have made up their mind before that point. Then I have over 2 months to plan all of the details.

Originally Posted by vav11238

I'd recommend not giving till May 1st for a wedding in May. My only reason being that it becomes difficult to plan. If you have 20 guests coming, you may decide to do a welcome party on a boat and something else but if 50 are coming you'll want to make other arrangements because the expenditre of money becomes a concern. And I think you'll be stressed if people can decide so last minute. Especially if the resort gets booked and then they're calling about other arrangements. I've spoken to a couple of other brides and they've made sense out of giving people three months - no more. But if you want to give it more time then do to April 1st - five months is more than enough time and, I think, will not make you insanely stressed.

But this is just my opinion, of course.