Video:How to Organize Wedding RSVPs

Transcript:How to Organize Wedding RSVPs

Hi everyone, my name is Nicole Nassief from The Wedding League, in Los Angeles, California, and I'm here today on behalf of About.com to discuss with you how to organize your wedding RSVPs.

Set Up a Chart to Organize Wedding RSVP's

I use the same process with my own clients and so what I tell them to do is to make a chart. And my favorite way to do it is on an Excel spreadsheet, but you can also do it by hand, do it on Word, whatever you want that is most comfortable for you and will get you organized.

But here are the main columns that you're going to need. You're going to need Guest Name; a Yes or No column - whether or not they're coming; depending on if you have and give them meal options you can do Meal Option 1, 2 and 3; and then last but not least, you need a column over here for Follow Up, to see if there is anything that you need to follow up with.

Fill in the Chart With Wedding RSVP Information

For example, what you're going to do in the Guest Name column is obviously write down all of the individual guests, and again individually, so for example, Jaime and Steve are actually a couple, but you need to know if one is coming or not, and what they're eating. So when they returned their RSVP, you wrote their names in individually, whether or not they're coming – yes or no, they both chose Meal Option 1, and you're good to go.

The next one is where it gets a little trickier. We invited Meghan and her guest. Meghan came back with yes, they're both coming, however one chose Meal Option 1 and the other chose Meal Option 3, but you don't know who has which - does Meghan have Meal Option 1 or 3? So in the follow up, you have to write in something along the lines of Meal Clarification. Just at some point give her a call, just as a courtesy thing, and say, "you know Meghan I just want to make sure that you're getting the right food – what exactly did you and your guest order?" And then that way, when you're indicating on your escort cards who is getting what, then that way you know exactly - Meghan has Meal Option 1, her guest has Meal Option 3.

Tips for Organizing Wedding RSVPs

And then last but not least, still keep track of maybe those couples or those guests who cannot attend and are in the No column. So that way you know you did receive their RSVP, but unfortunately they're just not able to make it to your wedding. The point of this chart is just to make your life and your wedding planning extremely easy.

At the end of the day, when you have all your RSVPs in, you know exactly how many Yes's are coming, how many people could not attend, and then you will also know exactly the count of meals to give to your caterer. Let's say you have 20 Meal Option 1's, 30 Meal Option 2's and so on and so forth. After gathering all this information, you can then go on to create your escort cards and your seating chart, making again your life just super easy.

Thank you so much for watching. If you want more information, just visit us on the web at About.com. Happy Wedding!