There have been so many wedding traditions that have been edited for the times, and those surrounding stationery have really become apparent.
We talked the last few weeks about timelines and how they can affect when you should start the wedding design process and when you should get your invitations in the mail. This week we are going to talk about something just as important:
When should you get your guests to RSVP by?
Couples spend an incredibly large sum on their wedding, and most costs associated with their day are dependant on final guest counts. Therefore, it is no surprise that couples want to know the final numbers prior to the big day.
This knowledge can also be vital for those working behind the scenes as well.
Here are some examples:
- Decor: the number of tables, chairs and place settings that a decor company will be renting to you
- Florist: the number of flower/centrepieces required based on final table numbers
- Caterer: number of plates to prepare for, including those with dietary restrictions that need to be accounted for
Of course, these numbers will impact your day-of stationery as well. Seating charts, place cards, menus… they will all need the final guest list prior to printing.
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With all of this riding on the “who-will-be-there” list, we recommend to all of our couples that they have a RSVP by date in place. This date should be prominent on your RSVP card or website, allowing guests to know when that cut-off will be.
Most of the time, caterers require about 3 weeks prior to your wedding for the final counts. We say, tac on another week to round up those who didn’t respond, and set the minimum respond by date 4 weeks/a full month prior to the wedding day. So, if your wedding date is June 15th, RSVPs should be in by May 15th.
As part of our consultations, we walk with clients to figure out when that “sweet spot is”. Because stationery print and design timelines depend on the final print times, we may recommend a bit more time to get the stationery ready.
So if you are looking for day-of stationery, please reach out to us!
[media-credit name=”Joanna Moss Photography” link=”joannamoss.com” align=”alignleft” width=”900″]
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