Electronic rsvp

knottieffd308519aec5b27

Since this is my first and hopefully only wedding, I am not sure how electronic rsvping works. I am concerned about getting confused as to whether the people are rsvp'd if some people rsvp online while others rsvp in the mail. What are the advantages and what are the disadvantages of electronic rsvping?

Jen4948

Well, the advantages are that for those who communicate electronically, they can be convenient, speedy and save postage costs. And for those who can't receive mail through the post office or are on the move, they may be the only way to invite them.

On the other hand, there are several disadvantages:
1) Electronic responses can get caught in spam filters, so their intended recipients may never receive them.
2) They assume that the recipients have access to the Internet, which is not always the case.
3) Even if they do, electronic communications can be lost or unavailable if servers go down for any reason. Even if servers continue to function, they can be easily deleted by accident or hacking.
4) Yes, even in this day and age, not everyone knows how to use electronic responses or are afraid to do so.
5) People may still give you a paper response anyway.

My advice: Use paper invitations and a set of RSVP options that includes both paper and electronic means of communication.

MyNameIsNot

If you're going to do electronic, just set up an email address and have people email their response. It's easy, free, and keeps everything in one place. With websites, you're either getting a free one with risks of glitches or you have to pay for a good one. 

If you offer an email option, print it at the bottom of the RSVP card. Please RSVP by January 1, via mail or via email to JackandJillWedding@gmail.com. Then, create yourself a spreadsheet for everyone you invite. Notate on the sheet when you send the invitation and when you receive a response, whether via email or mail. Then you have a handy list for those you need to follow up with. 

maine7mob

We used both paper and electronic responses. It was a minor hassle to reconcile them (I received the paper responses here and my daughter (the bride) was tracking the electronic ones.) We spent maybe 20 minutes on the phone sorting it all out (some older guests got confused and responded both ways) and everything was fine. The only downside to paper is that some guests add an uninvited plus one (they can't do this if they're responding via your website), but we didn't mind this. 

kahluakoala

I'm giving electronic RSVPs a solid try. My wedding is formal but we're giving this a shot. I used RSVPify and bought a premium membership - it cost about $35 for my size of wedding. 

We are including an RSVP card in my invitation suite - it's just a little piece of paper that says "Please RSVP at URL.COM". That way people know that this is a required legit RSVP. You can also get there via my website. It's a simple url - shouldn't be too challenging for anyone. Someone will go to the website, type their name, and their "invite" will appear (who is included on the invite) and they can indicate if each guest is coming (can do either like Mr. and Mrs. Jones or Mr. Smith + Guest), then they can answer questions like what they want for dinner and if they'll be using the shuttle or if they're attending the sunday brunch. I like it because I find those little pieces of paper so easy to lose and mail to just be generally unreliable in the area I live. Plus the chance for user error is pretty much zero. It's also nice to collect a lot of info at once. I also have an optional question for a song request, which I think is kind of fun. I think some of these concerns are overwrought - some comments below. I recommend using a dedicated email address (like a PP suggested) or a more reliable service - theknot and weddingwire tend to be glitchy.

Jen4948 said:

Well, the advantages are that for those who communicate electronically, they can be convenient, speedy and save postage costs. And for those who can't receive mail through the post office or are on the move, they may be the only way to invite them.

On the other hand, there are several disadvantages:
1) Electronic responses can get caught in spam filters, so their intended recipients may never receive them. I don't understand this - I think she means that she will send a paper invite and collect electronic RSVPs. Who's spam filters are we talking about here?
2) They assume that the recipients have access to the Internet, which is not always the case. Fair. Know your crowd. Everyone I invited has internet access. 
3) Even if they do, electronic communications can be lost or unavailable if servers go down for any reason. Even if servers continue to function, they can be easily deleted by accident or hacking. I mean, what? I pay my taxes, applied to grad school, pay my tuition, and do pretty much everyone else online. A deleted server (?) is not a likely issue I'm going to encounter in receiving emails or online RSVPs from my guests. Are you suggesting that anyone's email might be deleted at any given moment?
4) Yes, even in this day and age, not everyone knows how to use electronic responses or are afraid to do so. Again, fair. Know your crowd.
5) People may still give you a paper response anyway. Not sure why this matters

My advice: Use paper invitations and a set of RSVP options that includes both paper and electronic means of communication.

Jen4948

kahluakoala said:

I'm giving electronic RSVPs a solid try. My wedding is formal but we're giving this a shot. I used RSVPify and bought a premium membership - it cost about $35 for my size of wedding. 

We are including an RSVP card in my invitation suite - it's just a little piece of paper that says "Please RSVP at URL.COM". That way people know that this is a required legit RSVP. You can also get there via my website. It's a simple url - shouldn't be too challenging for anyone. Someone will go to the website, type their name, and their "invite" will appear (who is included on the invite) and they can indicate if each guest is coming (can do either like Mr. and Mrs. Jones or Mr. Smith + Guest), then they can answer questions like what they want for dinner and if they'll be using the shuttle or if they're attending the sunday brunch. I like it because I find those little pieces of paper so easy to lose and mail to just be generally unreliable in the area I live. Plus the chance for user error is pretty much zero. It's also nice to collect a lot of info at once. I also have an optional question for a song request, which I think is kind of fun. I think some of these concerns are overwrought - some comments below. I recommend using a dedicated email address (like a PP suggested) or a more reliable service - theknot and weddingwire tend to be glitchy.

Jen4948 said:

show previous quotes

Well, the advantages are that for those who communicate electronically, they can be convenient, speedy and save postage costs. And for those who can't receive mail through the post office or are on the move, they may be the only way to invite them.

On the other hand, there are several disadvantages:
1) Electronic responses can get caught in spam filters, so their intended recipients may never receive them. I don't understand this - I think she means that she will send a paper invite and collect electronic RSVPs. Who's spam filters are we talking about here? The guests' spam filters.
2) They assume that the recipients have access to the Internet, which is not always the case. Fair. Know your crowd. Everyone I invited has internet access. 
3) Even if they do, electronic communications can be lost or unavailable if servers go down for any reason. Even if servers continue to function, they can be easily deleted by accident or hacking. I mean, what? I pay my taxes, applied to grad school, pay my tuition, and do pretty much everyone else online. A deleted server (?) is not a likely issue I'm going to encounter in receiving emails or online RSVPs from my guests. Are you suggesting that anyone's email might be deleted at any given moment? It could happen, yes. I experienced this once when my emails were stolen. After a week, I discovered that someone hacked into my account and changed the password.
4) Yes, even in this day and age, not everyone knows how to use electronic responses or are afraid to do so. Again, fair. Know your crowd.
5) People may still give you a paper response anyway. Not sure why this matters. Because they might not be willing to give you an electronic one of they prefer paper.

My advice: Use paper invitations and a set of RSVP options that includes both paper and electronic means of communication.

MairePoppy

I vote for having the option of responding via mail or electronically. I like kahluakoala 's suggestions. It would be so nice to take care of  menu selections and other items in one place. I love the idea of an electronic invitation making it impossible to add extra guests to the invite. Very clever. But, when my daughter was married she had an Amazon registry, no other. She thought it would be convenient for her guests. There were a few older guests who were offended that they didn't have the option of going into a store and buying gifts from a  registry. Should they have been offended? No, but they were and it made for a few awkward phone conversations for yours truly, the MOB. 

knottie75b35f4acf6adb32

Electronic RSVPs are basically like digital versions of those little cards you'd normally mail back. Instead of writing their response and popping it in the mailbox, guests go to a website and fill out a form.

Advantages:

1. It's quick and easy for most guests, especially younger folks.
2. You get responses faster - no waiting on snail mail.
3. Everything's organized in one place - no shuffling through paper cards.
4. You can easily send reminders to people who haven't responded yet.
5. It's eco-friendly - saves paper and postage.

Disadvantages:

1. Some older guests might not be comfortable with it.
2. You lose that personal touch of handwritten notes.
3. There's always a chance of technical glitches.
4. You might need to pay for a service to handle it all.

Now, about your concern with mixing online and mail RSVPs - I totally get it! It can seem confusing at first. Here's a tip: create one master list, either on paper or in a spreadsheet. As responses come in, whether by mail or online, immediately update your list. This way, you're always looking at one source of truth.

Remember, there's no rule saying you have to choose just one method. Many couples offer both options to cater to all their guests. Just be sure to keep track of everything in one place, and you'll be golden!

If you are into SMS RSVPs, check out Evant.app, which is a well-known Text RSVP app. 

Hope this helps ease your mind a bit. Planning a wedding is a big deal, but you've got this!

ILoveBeachMusic

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