Email/Phone RSVP instead of Mail?

Donnaaries

Did anyone use online/email/phone RSVP's instead of the traditional mail-in response card for your invites?  If so, what kind of wording did you use?  Did you still have a response card in your invitation suite?We thought doing email/phone RSVPs would be a great way to cut down on postage costs and also save paper (no response envelopes needed).  However, seeing how bad people have been at following directions of our E-Save the Date (refer to B&M Monday rant), I'm starting to rethink this idea.  Just wondering if anyone else has done it and whether they regret it/think it went great.

juliebug1997

Some will say that it's tacky.  Some will say it's great.  I have a computer so it wouldn't be bad for me.  However, some of the older generation are very stodgy and might take offense to emailing or calling in an RSVP.  Of course, Bill's grandmother never sent hers in and she still came so that might not be an indicator either.  My point is:  I think you're darned if you do and darned if you don't.  No matter how easy you think you make it for someone to RSVP, they're still not going to do it.

fallbride1109

If you want to cut down on postage and paper, you could do a postcard response card.  That might be a happy medium.  I agree with Julie that no matter what you do, you probably won't get the result you want.I did the regular ol' RSVP but I also have the email option on my wedding website and I included an enclosure card directing them to the website.

JustinandLindsay2009

No matter how easy you think you make it for someone to RSVP, they're still not going to do it.This is what I am starting to think too!

lyndie_beth

We had some friends that recently did an online RSVP and they only had 2 people not respond. It worked really well for them but a lot of guests were young. I wouldn't do it personally because I have too many people in my family that don't have a computer or are not computer literate.

appletango85

I am doing what Stephie did. Regular response card and an insert directing them to my website for rsvp as well. On my insert I put "for more information or to RSVP please visit blah. Or something to that effect.

SCbrideinTX

I thought about doing an online RSVP - but instead I sent regular pre-stamped RSVP cards and also put that people could e-mail or call.Almost all of the RSVPs that I have so far are from the actual RSVP cards. I think for some folks it's just easier to throw it back in the mail.

llc_lauren & chris

My old co-worker who is getting married next month did what others have mentioned, did an RSVP card (which i sent back) and also had online RSVP (which another co-worker of ours did).  Like Lyndie mentioned with the older crowd that may not have a computer it might be hard to only do RSVP.We are thinking of not wasting money on RSVP postage for the 2 invites on my Dad's list that are going to another country.  I'll just put in their invites to call my dad.

Donnaaries

Hmmmm it seems like we'll be calling for RSVPs no matter what, I guess if we do both email and phone RSVP's, that will give the non-internet savvy people a way to RSVP. 

fallbride1109

Lauren, the P.O. told me yesterday that you can't put RSVP postage on the international envelopes--they have to use their own country's stamps.  I have invites going to Australia and Canada and the guy told me I would need to leave the envelopes blank.

labellagirl

i included a RSVP card that listed our website and our address - shockingly enough, the RSVP card is a newer tradition - back in the day, people used their own stationery to respond to RSVPs - anyone who is old enough not to be computer literate will probably pull out pen and paper and send you a personal RSVP through the mail - all of my older guests did

llc_lauren & chris

Thanks Stephie! Guess that rules out the RSVP stamp on the invite to Canada as well.

Donnaaries

Thanks labellagirl! That makes me feel better

juliebug1997

http://weddings.about.com/od/invitations/a/replycardwordin.htmRunning late so I didn't make it clicky.  However, it says that when your invitation was handwritten, then you could expect a handwritten note back.  When you had a casual invitation,  you could expect a phone call.  It doesn't say how far back this used to be the norm, but neither my parents nor Bill's had ever heard of this.