An RSVP exists to answer one question: how many people are actually coming? Caterers charge per head and venues per table. An estimate is something you pay for, either in empty covers or in a table added at the last minute.
A deadline you choose yourselves
«Kindly reply by 15 September» works far better than «please let us know». The usual guidance is three to four weeks before the wedding, or four to six for a destination wedding where guests book travel.
That date is yours. You choose it and you write it on your invitation. TislitEvent does not impose a deadline, does not pre-fill one, and does not chase anyone on your behalf. Replies are recorded as they arrive, whatever date you set — or if you set none at all.
Be specific about who is invited
Address the invitation to the people you are inviting, by name. If a plus-one is included, ask for their name in the reply. If it is not, saying so plainly is kinder than leaving it ambiguous and correcting it later.
What your guest fills in
A button at the end of the invitation opens a short page where they answer everything at once: attending or not, dietary requirements, a message for you, and a photo of themselves.
Why the photo helps
When you get to seating, a name alone is often not enough to place someone. The photos appear on your seating chart, which makes the arrangement far quicker.
Live tracking
Every reply updates your dashboard: attending, tentative, and still to reply. Dietary requirements are collected separately, ready to hand to the caterer.
See it in practice: an RSVP tracker part-way through
Full guide: how to manage your RSVPs
See also: guest list · dietary requirements
Frequently asked questions
Do guests need an account to reply?
No. They open the link and reply in the browser, with nothing to install and no sign-up.
When should the RSVP deadline be?
Three to four weeks before the wedding is the usual guidance, which leaves time to give the caterer a final headcount. For a destination wedding, four to six weeks is common. You choose that date yourselves and write it on your invitation; nothing here imposes or pre-fills it.
How do I handle plus-ones?
Say who is invited by name. If a plus-one is included, ask for that person’s name in the reply; if it is not, the invitation should make that clear rather than leave it open.