Most couples ask for wedding RSVPs about four to six weeks before the day. The firm rule is to work backwards: find out when your caterer and venue need final numbers and meal choices, then set your RSVP date at least two weeks earlier, so you have time to chase late replies and finish the seating plan.
Wedding RSVP deadline calculator
Start with the earliest date your venue or caterer needs final numbers. We subtract your chosen buffer to leave time for late replies and meal choices.
Choose your supplier’s date to see a suggested reply-by date.
Check your supplier’s terms and allow extra time for travel arrangements or a seating plan. Your dates stay on this page.
Create your wedding invitationHow do you work out your RSVP date?
- Ask your caterer and venue for their final numbers deadline. Write it down.
- Count back at least two weeks for chasing late replies and confirming meal choices.
- Count back a few more days if you are doing a seating plan or place cards.
- That is your RSVP date. Print it on the invitation and set it as the reply-by date on your online RSVP.
If your suppliers have different deadlines, use the earliest one. The date you print should be one you can actually stick to.
What does a typical wedding timeline look like?
These are common conventions in the UK, not rules. Your venue contract always wins.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6 to 12 months before | Save the dates, especially for weddings abroad or on bank holidays |
| 8 to 12 weeks before | Invitations out, with the RSVP date and link or QR code |
| 4 to 6 weeks before | RSVP date |
| Shortly after the RSVP date | One polite reminder to anyone who has not replied |
| 2 to 3 weeks before | Final numbers and meal choices to the caterer, seating plan finished |
Is six weeks before the wedding too early for RSVPs?
Not if your suppliers need numbers early or you have a big seating plan to do. For a destination wedding, or one where guests need to book travel and rooms, an earlier date is kinder. For a small, informal wedding with a simple menu, four weeks is often plenty.
How should you word the RSVP date?
Giving a reason works well, because it turns a request into a real deadline.
Kindly reply by Saturday 1 May.
Please reply by 1 May at the link below or by scanning the QR code.
Please let us know by 1 May so we can confirm numbers with the caterer.
What if guests miss the RSVP date?
Send one friendly reminder to the people who have not answered, not to everyone. Give a short new date and a reason. If you still hear nothing, plan without them and let them know politely.
Can an online RSVP help with the deadline?
Yes. Set a reply-by date on RSVP Events and it appears on the invitation, in your share message and in reminders. You can choose to email a nudge three days before the date to guests who said maybe and invited guests who have not replied. Replies after the date are marked late, or you can close replies on the day.
The dashboard shows who has replied, adds up adults and children and gives a count per dish when you ask for meal choices.
Frequently asked questions
How many weeks before a wedding should RSVPs be due?
Four to six weeks before the wedding is the usual range in the UK. Check your caterer's final numbers deadline first and set your RSVP date at least two weeks before it.
When should wedding invitations go out?
Commonly eight to twelve weeks before the day, and earlier for a wedding abroad. That gives guests time to arrange travel and childcare and leaves a few weeks before your RSVP date.
Should the RSVP date be a weekday or a weekend?
It does not matter much. Choose a date you will remember and that leaves you a weekend to chase late replies before your caterer's deadline.