Want to manage your wedding guests with style and ease? Forget about multiple checklists and trying to decipher the illegible handwriting sent in by your wedding guests. The days of sorting through scattered mail-back response cards and calculating, then recalculating your guest counts are gone. Thanks to the internet, there's a better way to approach the entire RSVP process for your wedding!
Online wedding RSVPs, one of the most recent developments in the wedding industry, have skyrocketed in popularity among brides and grooms looking to efficiently handle their guest list. Receiving RSVPs online is an inexpensive way to stay organized and have a bit of fun with the helpful extras that some online RSVP systems offer.
So how can you have your own wedding RSVPs online? It's very easy! There are a few free sites offering a basic RSVP service, or you can purchase a complete personal wedding website which will, among other things, give you the capability to have your wedding RSVPs set up and online in minutes. Other brides and grooms simply choose to include an email address, however, the advantages of a full service wedding RSVP system can be numerous and well worth the small fee.
Features to look for with Online Wedding RSVPs:
(Note: Prior to ordering, check with your wedding RSVP service provider to confirm that any options of interest to you are available.)
1) Multiple Events - Collect online RSVPs for any multiple events surrounding your wedding, such as RSVPs for: bridal showers, engagement parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinner and gift openings.
2) Print Capabilities - Create and print custom lists of RSVPs and corresponding information to hand out to your wedding planner, bridal party members and caterer.
3) Downloadable Capabilities - Download all RSVPs to a convenient spreadsheet format. Flexible to suit the format you want!
4) Live, Real-Time Data - No waiting! Receive all RSVPs the second they are submitted by your wedding guests. You will enjoy the fast turnaround that is only possible through the internet. In fact, you may even begin to collect RSVPs the same day your wedding guests receive your wedding invitations in the mail!
5) 24/7 Access to all Reports - Online wedding RSVPs work to your schedule and may be received and viewed at any time of day or night, seven days a week. You can even receive RSVPs on the weekend...yet another perk of the online RSVP method versus the postal route!
6) Share and Collect Additional Information - Customize your online wedding RSVP form to collect more than "accept" or "decline" responses from your wedding guests. If your wedding calls for it, customize your RSVP form to collect child care bookings, hotel preferences and more. Or you may choose to share certain information in conjunction with your RSVP form, such as gift registry information, allergy alerts and more.
7) Meal Tracking - If you are having a sit-down dinner, not a buffet, you can easily collect your wedding guests' meal selections by entering an online list of available options. Your wedding guests then indicate their desired meal choice when they submit their RSVP. This is the perfect way to obtain an accurate meal count for your caterer!
8) Auto Confirmation Email - When your wedding guests choose to enter their email address with their RSVP, a confirmation email will be sent affirming that their RSVP was successfully delivered into your account. Wedding guests tend to appreciate the peace of mind that comes along with this feature.
9) Secure Storage - RSVPs and corresponding information are generally stored in a private online account that can only be accessed with your unique username and password.
10) Password Protection - Some RSVP services offer password protection so only invited wedding guests with the correct password may RSVP.
11) Special Messages - Wedding guests can also submit their well-wishes to you when entering their RSVPs online.
12) Accurate Totals - Put your calculator away! Online wedding RSVP systems pull live totals so you can view accurate summaries and always know what your guest count is for "accept" and "decline" responses.
Top 2 Benefits of Receiving your Wedding RSVPs Online:
1) Eliminate the need to purchase return postage and RSVP cards.
2) No more worries about lost or delayed RSVP cards in the mail.
There's a variety of online wedding RSVP systems available on the internet, varying in price and features, which gives you a wide selection to choose from! Some companies offer advanced online options, while others provide basic but functional RSVP forms. Take advantage of the flexible and accessible options that online wedding RSVPs offer to directly benefit you and your wedding guests!
About the Author
Jennifer Benson is Vice President and cofounder of WedQuarters.com RSVP Services, a leading online wedding service provider. WedQuarters offers complete personal wedding websites, enhanced with online and toll free wedding RSVP services.