What is the best way to collect RSVPs?
A short reply form on your event website, linked from the invitation. Ask whether guests are coming, who’s in their party and their dietary needs, set a reply deadline, and have every answer go to one place, such as your email or a shared spreadsheet.
Why a form beats a pile of messages
When guests reply however they like, you end up with the guest list in five places and no single number you trust. A form on the event page fixes that: every reply has the same information, arrives in the same place and can be counted in a second.
It’s easier for guests too. They open the invitation link, read the details and reply in the same minute, while they still remember to.
What to ask, and what not to
Every question you add makes the form a little less likely to be finished. Keep it to what you’ll actually use:
- Are you coming? Yes or no, nothing in between.
- Who’s in your party? Names, not just a number, so place cards and lists are easy.
- Dietary needs and allergies.
- One practical question if you need it, such as whether they’ll take the bus or stay the night.
Leave out anything you can ask later, or that only a few guests need to answer.
Set a clear reply deadline
Without a deadline, replies trickle in until the week before. Put the date next to the form, in words guests can’t miss: “Please reply by 1 May”. Choose it by working back from the day your caterer or venue needs final numbers, with a week to spare for latecomers.
Decide where the answers go
Before you share the link, decide who reads the replies and where:
- To your email, each reply as its own message. Simple, and fine for smaller events.
- To a shared spreadsheet, one row per reply. Better when two people plan together, or for a big guest list.
Whichever you choose, check it works by sending a test reply yourself, and delete the test before the real ones start.
Follow up, kindly
A few days before the deadline, send one short reminder to everyone who hasn’t replied, with the link again. Most people meant to reply and simply forgot. After the deadline, a personal message to the last few is quicker than waiting.
When a form isn’t the right fit
Some events don’t need one: an open memorial where anyone is welcome, or a small family lunch where a phone call is more natural. Then say on the page how and where to let you know, and by when. That still saves you the question “how do we reply?”.
See what else to put on a wedding website, or have us make the page and the form for you.
Questions we get
How long before the event should the RSVP deadline be?
Work back from the date your venue or caterer needs final numbers, and add a week for the guests who reply late. For weddings that usually lands three to six weeks before the day.
Should older guests reply online too?
Offer both. Put a phone number or an email address next to the form for anyone who’d rather reply in person, and add their answers to the same list yourself.
What should we do about guests who don’t reply?
Send one friendly reminder a few days before the deadline, with the link again. After the deadline, a short personal message usually gets an answer.
Want help with this?
We make interactive one-page websites for weddings, birthdays, christenings and memorials: 300€ fixed, with the domain and hosting included. See Event websites, or tell us what you’re working on and we’ll reply within one business day.