One of the most annoying things while wedding planning is keeping track of RSVPs. 

Side note: Did you know that RSVP is an abbreviation for the French “répondez s’il vous plaît”, which means “please respond”.

Guests are notorious about pushing it off, being indecisive about their availability or whether or not they should bring a plus-one, and flat out forgetting it. 

However, RSVPs are super important for vendors like your venue or caterer because they need to know how many people you are expecting for your wedding. 

While it’s customary to include RSVPs in your wedding invitation stationery, one piece of paper may not be sufficient. 

I remember getting so frustrated about RSVPs. But luckily WedTexts was there to help. I was able to easily split my guest list into groups and send those who had not yet responded extra reminders. It saved a ton of time and you can never have enough time when planning a wedding!

Julie (Bride – Union Point, GA)

Don’t rely on your guests to remember your RSVPs, instead, use WedTexts to make keeping track of RSVPs so much easier! 

3 simple steps to track your RSVPs with WedTexts:

1. Collect guest’s phone numbers when you get their address

You will likely need to ask several of your guests for their address anyways, so go ahead and ask for their phone number, which you can then use to create their contact in WedTexts.

If not, between you, your fiancé, and your parents, I’m sure you’ve got 90% of your guest list’s phone numbers already!

2. Create a custom RSVP group

Instead of badgering all your guests regardless of whether or not they have RSVP’d, you can simply create custom groups in WedTexts! That way you can separate them into “Has RSVP’d” and “Has NOT RSVP’d”.

3. Set it & Forget it

The thing that makes keeping track of your RSVPs so easy with WedTexts is that you can set up wedding text message reminders ahead of time. Then, you can forget about running after RSVPs and focus your time and energy on other wedding planning things!

Side note: As you receive their RSVPs, make sure to remove your guests from the RSVP’d group or they will continue to receive the pre-scheduled message reminders you create.
keeping track of RSVPs wedding text message reminder

Other tips to help you with keeping track of RSVPs

1. Give yourself some extra time

Most caterers like to have the final guest count 2 to 4 weeks out from your wedding.  If you are printing RSVP cards, be sure to know your cutoff date so you can have it printed clearly on your RSVPs.  Consider giving yourself a week or two buffer for guests that do not promptly return the RSVPs.  Be sure to mark both your buffer date and your actual date on your calendar so it does not sneak up on you.

2. Number your RSVPs

Number the back of each RSVP and have a spreadsheet that lists which number is associated with each guest. This way you will be sure who returned the RSVP when it arrives in the mail.  You will be amazed at how many people return their RSVP without a name on it!

You’re welcome for this tip! 😉

3. Double and triple check all printed material

Make sure the return address is correct, and that you put a stamp on the return envelope.  It is very easy to overlook a typo, put down a wrong street address or stuff the envelopes before realizing you forgot to put the return stamp on the RSVPs.

4. Create an online survey to send to invitees who do not respond in time

Make it easier for your guests and yourself! Instead of sending RSVPs as paper mail at all, create a survey on Google Forms or Survey Monkey to get last-minute RSVPs completed.  Make sure to ask for your guests’ names in the survey so you know who has responded!!

RSVPs by the numbers

Our friends at RSVPify.com have compiled this awesome infographic on wedding invitations and RSVPs! 

6 weeks before your wedding is the latest you should send out your invitations to allow enough time for your guests to respond.

10 weeks before your wedding is the ideal time to send invitations, allow even more time if you have lots of out-of-town guests.

57.6% of guests will reply within 5 weeks of receiving the invitation (week 3 is the most popular week to return RSVPs).

80% of guests reply within 8 weeks.

RSVPs by the numbers

What are you doing to keep track of your RSVPs?

Feel free to share in the comments below.