Track Down Missing RSVPs

If they haven’t already, your vendors will be contacting you soon requesting a final headcount for your wedding day. RSVP cards are terrific tools, but don’t expect everyone who attends your event to actually use them! It’s time to go through your guest list and that stack of RSVPs that have already arrived – then you can track down the missing RSVPs and give a final attendance number to those who need it.

Managing Your Guest List

Unless you’ve hired a wedding coordinator that offers guest list management, this is a responsibility that belongs to you and your fiancé. I recommend keeping a copy of your master guest list in a convenient place at home and checking off your RSVPs each evening as they arrive – when you’re 2 weeks away from your wedding with 150 cards to sift through, you’ll be very glad you took my advice!

As the RSVP date gets near, start going through the list and make note of the responses that are still missing. It’s a good idea to request phone numbers, along with names and addresses, when you first put together your guest list - but if your list doesn’t include this bit of information, track down any numbers you don’t have and add them to your list.

Touch Base With Missing RSVPs

Don’t assume that a guest isn’t coming just because you haven’t received an RSVP – if they do show up, it could be quite embarrassing for you and a headache for your caterer! There’s nothing wrong with making a quick phone call to confirm a guest’s attendance if you haven’t received a response.

Plan a quiet afternoon close to your RSVP date and sit down with your list of missing replies. If you’re contacting a guest you’ve never met before – such as a relative on your fiancé’s side – take the time to introduce yourself. Let each guest know that you’re making your final plans for the wedding and noticed you hadn’t received their response card, but hope they plan to attend.

Tracking down all of your missing RSVPs may take more than one calling session. Be sure to leave a message with anyone who doesn’t answer and make a second call a couple days later if you still haven’t heard anything. You can also speak with relatives and friends of the guest if you’re having a hard time tracking down the individual.