Why RSVPs and responding is an absolute must! As owners of Antler Ridge Weddings located near Grand Junction CO. We have seen alot of "no shows". This blog discusses wedding strategies to get a better head count for your special day.
The wedding day is what we plan for, but weddings start with getting that guest list! We love watching the connection and love of all the people who show up to support our brides at Antler Ridge Weddings on their big day!
RSVP's Asking your Guests For A Commitment!
October 1st 2024- Wedding Ideas
Sending out those wedding invitations is a special act and we believe is so much more than just getting a list of people so you know how to plan for your big day at Antler Ridge Weddings! Getting your guest list for your wedding is more of an experience of gathering all the most important people in your lives from so many different avenues and inviting them to come together to one place (or to one beautiful wedding barn) to celebrate you and your fiancé. It is a beautiful opportunity to reflect on who is most important to you and your future spouse. But no wedding invitation is complete without the RSVP!
Whether you decide to do online RSVPs or a mail in RSVP card, making sure your guests have an opportunity to let you know whether or not they will make it to your big wedding day is a vital part of planning your wedding. Antler Ridge knows weddings and we see how knowing your guest count makes your day flow smoothly, so we gathered information to share on the importance of an RSVP for your wedding day!
Budget Planning
No matter how you slice it, wedding numbers come down to price per person. From catering to cake slices you gotta know who’s coming! Getting an accurate RSVP list will help you with food planning, how much tequila to have at your bar and what money is left to go to the DJ or a band! Being able to support local vendors that offer your guests a unique wedding experience is another way you can spend your extra money. Hiring a beer burro for your cocktail hour is a fun and unique addition your guest will love ! Knowing how many people are coming helps you plan where to shave off expenses in other places or whether to invite those high school friends or leave them off the list!
Connecting With Guests
The good people at Adler Ranch wedding venue in MN say that “Knowing exactly who will attend allows you to create thoughtful, individual touches, like customized favors, seating arrangements, and even personalized shout-outs during the reception. RSVPs help you deliver a wedding experience that makes your guests feel truly included and appreciated. “
RSVP’s for your wedding help you to plan unique ways to connect with your guests such as DJ or officiant shout outs, games, photo booths or other fun unique wedding ideas. It also helps you plan whether you will do a line of greeting guests, if you will stop by each table or have time for more personalized guest interactions.
When RSVP's Don't Work
Not everyone remembers to respond in time (or sometimes at all) to RSVP’s to weddings. Don’t worry, bride’s, we have ideas on how to handle those people!
Southern Living says to start reaching out to the people on your list who have not responded. We think that might be a task you can delegate to your mom or your mother in law if the people invited are close to them. A quick check in with the non-responders might help them remember that they simply forgot the polite act of RSVPing!
It is also a good idea to plan ahead and have extra food and seating for those who simply show up anyways without a good ole’ RSVP. Instead of getting stressed out or upset on your wedding day just dance away and know that your wedding was a place everyone wanted to be RSPV or not!
Make it fun!
Add some extra fun to the RSVP's for your guests! Why not include a song request form https://www.etsy.com/listing/1107952585/printable-song-request-card-wedding-song or a mad lib! Some other ideas are to include a wedding schedule or local ideas or things to do if guests are arriving from out of town. Meal choices are a good way to get guests excited and involved with the RSVP, or even asking the guests to include a favorite memory!
What Percent of Wedding Guests Decline?
What Percent of Wedding Guests Decline? "How many invited guests will decline a wedding invitation? A good rule of thumb that many wedding professionals agree on is 20%," says Nowack.Feb 27, 2024 As a general rule, you can expect 5-10% of those who RSVP 'yes' to your wedding invitation to not show up on the day. That % is shocking! Antler Ridge Weddings have seen over the years that unless our brides are dilgent about reaching out to get that finally count the % can be high. Put simply, every wedding guest costs. We suggest delegate, plan a head and make those final calls stating politely that your venue and your caterer need a final headcount. But most of all keep it fun a stressfree!
Thank you for reading this blog. We, at Antler Ridge Weddings, are a locally owned wedding venue located on the Western Slope near Grand Junction Colorado and Telluride Colorado.
We are dedicated to using our platform to support locally owned wedding venues across the United States. In every blog we write, we will include wonderful wedding venues who use their articles to support fellow wedding venues.
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