Online Wedding RSVP Etiquette

The jury is still out on online wedding RSVP etiquette. Here at RSVPify, we know that better than anyone. Brides and grooms-to-be often inquire if asking their guests to RSVP online is poor wedding etiquette. In short, you’ll find opinions that run the gamut — but the fact is that requesting guests to use an online wedding RSVP is becoming increasingly popular, and is a great way to save time, save money, save the planet and help ensure the accuracy of your head count and guest’s preferences.

Why is the paperless RSVP route a good choice for me?

Soon-to-be-weds often opt to setup an RSVP website for their wedding for a number of reasons — but these reasons primarily boil down to time, money, and ease of use.  For some, saving some trees is a nice added bonus.

Online wedding RSVPs save you the cost of printing RSVP inserts and allow you to also forego the cost of return envelopes and stamps.  These days, submitting an online RSVP is often easier and faster for your guests — but the time-saving benefits to you, the wedding planner, are perhaps one of the biggest benefits of online RSVPs.  Think of the many hours you will save in checking and re-checking guest counts and keeping your guest list up-to-date.  It’s also easy to make a mistake in your final counts, and online RSVPs virtually eliminate that possible.  Your Aunt Jenn is assured that she will get the vegetarian entree that she asked for.

What’s wrong with asking guests to RSVP online?

That depends on who you talk to — and most people would respond ‘Nothing!’  One primary detractor from taking the route of requesting RSVPs online, though, is the potential for older generations to have difficulty completing their online reservations.  As online RSVP websites become better-designed and easier to use, this is becoming less-and-less of a concern.  Some couples opt to include a phone number as a second RSVP option or include an RSVP insert with the invitations sent to some of their older guests.

What else should I consider before deciding whether or not to ask my guests to RSVP online?

We also thought it best to scour the many wedding forums out there where the questions of online wedding RSVP etiquette is being actively best — and bring you thoughts from real brides and grooms-to-be.

Decide that online wedding RSVPs might be for you? Well, whether you’re considering taking the online route or have decided on traditional paper RSVPs, next steps are to consider how you’re going to word your RSVP.  Just like your invitations, your RSVP can be uniquely you, and reflect the spirit of your wedding and the personalities of the bride and groom.