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Wedding Invitations & Paper
tigerlily6
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When to send invites/request RSVPs?
Hi again everybody!
Another etiquette question I've been mulling over. After some lurking, I have picked up that invitations should be sent out 8 weeks in advance, 10 at most. I am getting married on July 2nd; I already sent out STDs around 9 months out (wanted them out early since our wedding will be a holiday weekend), and was planning on following the protocol and sending Invitations beginning of May (immediately following my final exams/ FI graduates), which gives exactly 8 weeks.
However, the reception hall contract stipulates that they need menu and seating setup finalized 30 days prior to the event.
In light of that, when should I make RSVPs due? And should invitations be sent out any earlier to accomodate time for guests to get them returned, or not? For those that may have had similar timelines set by reception halls, was there any room for error (if a guest RSVPed a day or two late or something), or did you add some extra seats just to be safe?
Another etiquette question I've been mulling over. After some lurking, I have picked up that invitations should be sent out 8 weeks in advance, 10 at most. I am getting married on July 2nd; I already sent out STDs around 9 months out (wanted them out early since our wedding will be a holiday weekend), and was planning on following the protocol and sending Invitations beginning of May (immediately following my final exams/ FI graduates), which gives exactly 8 weeks.
However, the reception hall contract stipulates that they need menu and seating setup finalized 30 days prior to the event.
In light of that, when should I make RSVPs due? And should invitations be sent out any earlier to accomodate time for guests to get them returned, or not? For those that may have had similar timelines set by reception halls, was there any room for error (if a guest RSVPed a day or two late or something), or did you add some extra seats just to be safe?
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Re: When to send invites/request RSVPs?
You want to give yourself, at most, a one week time frame between when final numbers are due and your RSVP date. This way you have ample time to follow up with anyone who did not send back their RSVP.
The contract also says the final payment is due 60 days prior to the event (we put the deposit down for now). Since the venue takes care not only of the space, but includes catering, it seems like 60 days ahead will be difficult to figure out how much food we will need.
Our guest list is 136 people, but that is giving everybody a plus one. The venue can accommodate 200 people, so I'm prepared in case everybody does attend. But most of our guests will have to travel several hours (or more), so it's quite possible that our numbers will be less than the actual guest list. Best to just pay for enough food for 136 guests to be safe? (I think we will be doing buffet style, if that matters at all).
I had to make my final payment 2 weeks out but that was also when our final headcount was due.
Same with firm head count -- due one week prior to the event. 30 days prior is when they need to have the menu items determined (but not quantity) and room setup plans.
Thank you all for counseling me on this -- glad to know this doesn't conflict with my original RSVP plans!