wedding website

ryanandjoe4

I am planning on using the website as much as possible if it will actually help make this less paperwork for me and FH.. I posted this on the budget weddings board, I was wondering are any of you using it?

 

OK, I am all about making this easier on me and FH. I want to use the website to have people RSVP instead of using the traditional cards. also to gather addresses we are planning on using Postable.com. I am posing it on Facebook. emailing it, and will hand them my iPhone the page loaded if I have to.. Anyways, I was wondering if anyone has done this or is doing this, and how it is going or has gone...

I understand that it is not traditionally done and people may be confused at first but we are 13 months away, so I have plenty of time to get them used to the website. I may have them go there to look up all the information, so they have to get on the site for the address anyways...

this is an effort to save money, but also to save us from waiting on cards in the mail

futurecptkirk

One of my bridesmaids said she recently received an invitation where you could only RSVP online (she's 26, so not a Luddite), and she definitely side-eyed it. She didn't like only having that option and advised me on Sunday to make sure I include both options. I'm pretty sure she did RSVP though, so despite her judgment it worked.

Gregandheather2013

I'm using online R.S.V.P but I am also including my cell phone number for people to call. My cousin did it for her wedding and no one complained. You can put your website on your save the dates so people can check out the website and fiddle on it.

ryanandjoe4

@kellystuart11: honestly, I am not worried about peoples judgments, that is their opinion, I want to make this fun, and as less stressful as I can for me and FH. I don't want to give multiple options because it is about making it easy to keep track of, I am glad to hear that it worked even though she didn't like it.. in my experience, I have only seen the Cards to send back, and that is only one option to RSVP, so I am not sure what the problem is with only one option..

 

@Gregandheather2013 I was thinking about putting it on the save the date and the Invitation. so that way it is repeated.. Also if they lose one they will have the other, then also when the wedding is closer maybe a reminder email, to RSVP, with the website link. that depends on when I send out the invites of course, I don't want hound guests..  

peachy13

I don't think there's anything wrong with giving your guests the option to RSVP on your website. Wedding websites are great for keeping your guests in the know (I just wouldn't advertise that you're partially doing it to save money). 

However, online RSVPs aren't too common. Everyone in their 20's/30's will know what to do, but do you have any older guests who would be confused by this? I know some of my guests would not know how to RSVP online and would be confused if they didn't receive a RSVP card with the mailed invitation. Just keep that in mind and don't be too surprised if people reach out to asking you where their RSVP card is. (This happened to a friend of mine, where everyone over 40 contacted her asking if their RSVP card was left out of the invitation...)

And regarding gathering your guests' addresses, I just want to politely suggest that you do not post stuff on Facebook about it. I'm assuming that you're not inviting your entire list of Facebook friends to your wedding, so to post something on Facebook intended only for your wedding guests, yet everyone can see it, would certainly be considered rude. The best way to obtain your guests' addresses is to ask your families and contact people individually (rather than for all of Facebook). Just a friendly suggestion to keep things "good etiquette." Good luck!

inconceivable14

I think it's fine to have your guests RSVP via your website - if you can, using email as another option could help out those who are unsure of/don't like to RSVP via a website. Also, if you know there might be some guests who won't want to/can't use the online RSVP feature, you can reach out to them individually to either explain the website or obtain their RSVP before you run into venue/catering deadlines.

I second Peachy's recommendation to think twice about posting the website on Facebook, unless you can verify that only your intended guests see the post. Additionally, you might want to see if you can have an access code for your website so that only guests can access/RSVP. I've seen friends post their site on Facebook, only to have it spammed by people they never intended on inviting! If you are looking to get addresses through Facebook, I would recommend a private message for each person instead of a mass post (not sure if Postable allows that). 

I'm not using the website through the Knot, so I'm not sure if you are able to have a code to restrict it to guests only.

ryanandjoe4

I am only talking about the gaining the addresses through a post on facebook and I am not reffering to the wedding at all when I do that.. I was not only using that for the wedding, it will be usefull for birthdays and many other events..  anything about the invites or the website I am keeping to private messages.  Even though I am only friends with people I would want to invite.. I do not want it shared, and publicly announced either.. I was simply asking about the website RSVP's..

inconceivable14

Oh, that was reader error on my part! I apologize for misunderstanding. 

I have seen/heard so many horror stories of people blasting their wedding websites on Facebook - it blurred my reading comprehension level on this  

ryanandjoe4

ya, I have seen a few people that have posted every detail about their wedding on facebook, it is obnoxious.. I posted the proposal pictures and will post pictures but announcements on what is happening no thanks..

lyssalouandrew

I am glad this discussion is open and going on..

I was considering this because we don't want to wait for the cards to come back in the mail... 

We wanted to just include a little web address on the invite and not have to deal with additional postage or added paper waste, you know?

ryanandjoe4

@lyssalouandrew the waiting on cards, and paper waste, and keeping all the papers together, are the big reasons I want to do it this way..

Ehh I am not really worried about it so much, I think in our day and age, everything is turning to electronic forms of communication, and it is easy for everyone I know I am inviting to go to a website and type their names and of their family members. I think there is one "elderly" person, and she lives with, and will be arriving with, a great aunt who is tech savvy.

From what I have seen in my venue search is you plan for the total # you invite, then does keeping track of the RSVP'S really matter, expecially when about 20% don't respond anyways..

lyssalouandrew

I am definitely planning on using theknot's wedding RSVP tool on the wedding website... its official. Drew is on board completely. Thank goodness. 

ryanandjoe4

Let me know if you run in to any problems I will keep you posted as well...

manillabar

I have no personal experience with TK's RSVP tools but I have heard some other brides have had issues with losing rsvps and other glitches, so just be careful!

[Deleted User]

I'm going to include an RSVP card but also list our wedding website information for people to RSVP online. To save some money on postage though I think I will only put return stamps on envelopes for those people I know won't likely use the online feature such as my older guests.
We have to list the meal choice for each guest to our venue's caterer so I really like that The Knot's RSVP tool lets guests pick their meal as well.