When to send invites? Venue wants head count and meals 30 days prior.

Re: When to send invites? Venue wants head count and meals 30 days prior.

• LeiselEB member

  

  October 2012

  That's a little early for the venue to need final numbers, but you certainly do not need an entire month between the RSVP date and the "headcount" date. 

  
  

  I'd send your invitations out early to mid February (which is about as early as you want to go), but I would not ask for a response until March 15 at the earliest - probably more towards the end of March. You don't need more than a week to track people down, and making it earlier will only make it harder for you because some people might not know yet if they'd be able to attend. 

  
  

  Again, it would be a much better situation if you could get the venue to push back the final headcount date. 

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• libby2483 member

  

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  Typically, the RSVP is due 2-4 weeks before the wedding.  Some people are going to have trouble committing to attending a wedding 2 months in advance because of work and other conflicts.  Invitations are usually send out about 6-8 weeks in advance.

  
  

  One month ahead of time is really early for a venue needed numbers.  Can you talk to them about getting this moved a bit closer to your date? I mean, it is not as if they need to order food this early.  

  
  

  If it is not possible to move your RSVP date back (due to the venue not being flexible or invitations already being printed), which sounds like it might be the case, then I would mail them out around the 6th or 7th so guests have about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks to reply.

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• banana468 member

  

  October 2012

  Re do the response cards and then talk to the venue. To need firm numbers that early is not acceptable.

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• vwhelan85 member

  

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  The invitation place let me change the date so it is now March 15 in order to still give the venue 30 days. The wedding is at least 4 hours away for guests. At least half the guests have mentioned that they have already booked hotels so maybe guests will know 2 months in advance. I will send them out the last week in Feb so they have two to three weeks before the RSVP date. 

  
  

  Thanks so much for your help..

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• MyNameIsNot member

  

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_when-to-send-invites-venue-wants-head-count-and-meals-30-days-prior?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:758d31d0-b438-414e-a284-e2df56e07a1aPost:8e07030b-3711-4638-b1ae-63f40ea9fbfa">Re: When to send invites? Venue wants head count and meals 30 days prior.</a>:
  [QUOTE]M<strong>aybe the venue needs the meal selections a month early because of their food ordering process</strong>. I dont know? They just said I needed to tell them how many of each selection and then I have to give them a map of what meal goes in what seat a week before so the waiters can look at it.
  Posted by vwhelan85[/QUOTE]
  
  <div>Unless this is the very first catering gig they've ever gotten, this is absurd.  </div><div>
  </div><div>You do not have to order food 30 days in advance of cooking it, and you certainly do not need the exact number of each dish 30 days in advance.  If they are inexperienced, they might ask for soft numbers 30 days in advance and firm numbers 10 days out, but hard numbers 30 days out makes no sense.  (Well, unless they are planning to order frozen prepared meals and heat them up for you.)  Experienced caterers simply ask for firm numbers 7-14 days out.    I would be seriously worried about a caterer who is so clueless.  </div><div>
  </div><div>In any event, it's rude to ask guests to commit more than a month in advance.  </div>

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