The RSVP is a tradition of weddings and events. There are a couple questions that may follow: When do I send out Save the Dates versus formal invitations? When do I request the RSVP? What should they look like!? Let’s break it down.

Long live the RSVP. It’s great to set up a wedding website and allow guests to locate information that you can’t fit on the small card space. Having a formal, physical RSVP may seem dated, but shows attention to detail that will impress your guests before the big day. Consider these two pieces the first memories and gifts to represent your wedding.

Send out a Save the Date cards six to nine months ahead of time so your guests have enough notice to update their calendars. After that, we recommend sending out RSVP cards three months before the wedding date, so you have plenty of time to collect and count them. Make sure you set a “due date” to get them back to give final headcounts to your caterer and venue. If you’re having a destination wedding, we suggest pushing these dates back by 1-2 months for ample planning time.