RSVP annoyance

[PearlDahhhling]

I sent out my invitations on April 25th with a RSVP date of May 26th. Wedding is on June 26th. I sent out about 60 invitations (for about 100 people) and I''ve only gotten about 25 response cards back. It''s driving me nuts!

I just heard the mailman come and got excited for response cards so I ran out to the mailbox and there was 1. Just 1. Ahhh!

Is A MONTH not enough time for people to write their name on the card, accept or decline, choose an entree and put it back in the already addressed and stamped envelope and pop that baby in the mail!?!

I really don''t want to have to make ten million phone calls next week. And I really want to have a headcount by next week because I''m DIYing a lot of things and I need to know how many to make, and I also ordered enough linens/chair cushions, etc for 100 people and I will save a lot of money if I can call them and change the order by next week! Gahhh.

Did you fellow brides/new wives have to make ten million phone calls because people didn''t send their rsvps?

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Yep..feeling you. We gave people May 29 as a deadline for June 20..and we've gotten about 30-40 back out of over 70. So we're doing a bit better, but still. The weird thing is we haven't heard from some of the elderly people we know can't/won't come. Are they just not going to send it back? I mean come on it had a stamp on it..all you have to do is check a box, write a name, and seal it.

Sigh.

People in my bridal party haven't even sent them back and it has A STAMP ON IT!!! Deep breathing..deep breathing. That's my Bridezilla moment of the day, but I definitely feel you.

ETA: As for phone calls..yeah I am going to make FI handle his family and friends and I'll handle mine. I admit that this is a devious plan though because about 80% of the wedding is his family.

We'll make the phone calls and then we're giving people until the Saturday of June 13..and then we're cutting them. Period.

 

[brightlight]

Did you use "forever" stamps? Postage just went up recently. Perhaps some of the RSVPs are being returned to the guests.

 

[ilovesparkles]

I absolutely dread this! I know my BM had to do this! She had an A and B list. Oy!

 

[bee*]

I hear you on that one. We still have lots of people that haven''t rsvp''s and our wedding is in 26 days. It''s a pain. Thankfully though most of my friends and family have replied so it''s up to D to chase the rest

 

[galvana]

Hey Pearl,
Im sorry this is happening to you, but it seems to be a pretty common thing. I have had several friends complain about the same thing and having to make phone calls as it got close. You also see it on here all the time................
I wish i had something good to say, im sorry

try not to stress, you are going to have an amazing wedding - do you "know" which people will come and which wont?
maybe you could start your DIY stuff based on what you "know".
FI and I really know who will say and who wont so just do that and then you can at least get started on these projects instead of waiting, then by the time you are almost done, hopefully you''ll have all your responses and you can just add a few more where needed - sound like a plan?

 

[DearBuddha]

Date: 5/23/2009 3:13:34 PM
Author: brightlight
Did you use ''forever'' stamps? Postage just went up recently. Perhaps some of the RSVPs are being returned to the guests.

This shouldn''t be the case; the gov''t issued a statement after the announcement that postage prices were going up that the Forever stamps would be valid through 2010.

 

[kama_s]

Yikes. I would NOT be looking forward to making 30+ phonecalls! I''m thinking everyone left it to the last weekend, so hopefully most of your guests would fill it out and send it off Monday to make it for your deadline. It''s really silly when people say they''ll send it by the deadline, the deadline is for when it should REACH ME, not for when it should LEAVE their house!! So annoying. Especially when postage is paid, seriously, all they have to do it put in the mailbox!

I only ended up having to make 2 phonecalls, but for a while there it looked like there were going to be much more than that. I''m hoping that would be the case for you too!

 

[musey]

Oh yes, this is a tried and true tale of woe for brides the world over...

I think almost every planner has RSVP stragglers. Some more, some less. I was very lucky to only be short 15 or so RSVP cards (out of 72) on the reply-by date, but I also gave people over two months from the day I mailed the invitations, so I''m sure that helped.

It''s okay. I planned ahead of time to allow about one week past the RSVP "deadline" before I started to contact people, then an additional week to get in touch with any stragglers before I needed a head count. Did you leave yourself any wiggle room like this?

Once you know how many people you have to check up on, delegate to your husband-to-be and the parents of both the bride and groom. People can get in touch with "their" guests. You still have until Tuesday, but even if you didn''t get a single RSVP card between now and then you still would only have 35 guests to contact, which is absolutely not insurmountable. Do email where you can, if you know they''ll be responsive... but do give people a couple of days leeway before you start emailing/calling around.

 

[musey]

Date: 5/23/2009 7:18:49 PM
Author: DearBuddha

Date: 5/23/2009 3:13:34 PM
Author: brightlight
Did you use ''forever'' stamps? Postage just went up recently. Perhaps some of the RSVPs are being returned to the guests.

This shouldn''t be the case; the gov''t issued a statement after the announcement that postage prices were going up that the Forever stamps would be valid through 2010.

I think that was brightlight''s point, that if Pearl did NOT use forever stamps, the RSVPs may be getting returned.

 

[musey]

Date: 5/23/2009 8:14:23 PM
Author: kama_s
Yikes. I would NOT be looking forward to making 30+ phonecalls! I''m thinking everyone left it to the last weekend, so hopefully most of your guests would fill it out and send it off Monday to make it for your deadline.

I think you''re probably right, though there''s no post on Monday (in the US) for memorial day

so I''m betting people will just lag a few days behind (drop it in the mail on Monday or Tuesday, arrives by Friday/Saturday). Allow yourself to get annoyed at the lack of response around next weekend, Pearl

 

[kama_s]

Date: 5/23/2009 8:16:17 PM
Author: musey

I also gave people over two months from the day I mailed the invitations, so I''m sure that helped.

It''s okay. I planned ahead of time to allow about one week past the RSVP ''deadline'' before I started to contact people, then an additional week to get in touch with any stragglers before I needed a head count.

That is what worked in my favour as well, I sent out invites 7 weeks before the due date, and I dont really need final numbers until 2nd week of June, but I kept my RSVP date for mid May. I only called my two no-replies yesterday.

I forgot Monday is memorial day (even though we were close to Niagara Falls today, and tuned into a Buffalo radio station!), so I guess you''ll get your responses later in the week. Hope you didnt need the final numbers until next week.

 

[brightlight]

Date: 5/23/2009 8:16:59 PM
Author: musey

Date: 5/23/2009 7:18:49 PM
Author: DearBuddha

Date: 5/23/2009 3:13:34 PM
Author: brightlight
Did you use 'forever' stamps? Postage just went up recently. Perhaps some of the RSVPs are being returned to the guests.

This shouldn't be the case; the gov't issued a statement after the announcement that postage prices were going up that the Forever stamps would be valid through 2010.

I think that was brightlight's point, that if Pearl did NOT use forever stamps, the RSVPs may be getting returned.

Thanks Musey for clarifying my point for me.

That's what I meant.