Formal Invitations... Still Necessary?

Yes, you absolutely do need to send out formal invitations. Getting RSVPs from people is like pulling teeth in most instances. In this case, just sending the STD would make it harder in three respects:

1. You are sending the STDs out now, but the wedding isn't until October. People will therefore set it aside, meaning to RSVP later, and then will lose it or forget. You really need to send something out 6-8 weeks before the wedding to remind them.

2. The STD doesn't say when they need to RSVP. Most people wait until close to the deadline. There is a deadline, because your caterer will need to know the final headcount by a date that will be specified in your contract. But if you don't say what it is, people will miss the deadline.

3. Your STD says that no formal invitation will follow. People won't read that, because most other STDs say formal invitation to follow, and they will skip over the "no." So they will count on the invitation to refresh their memories, and then it won't come.

In theory, you could put the response date on your website. In practice, that won't work. People tend to look at the website only when they already realize there is an immediate need (e.g., because the RSVP date is approaching, they want to buy a gift, or they want to make hotel reservations).

If you want to eliminate a mailing, you can skip the STDs. Your OOT guests already know the date. Sending invitations 6-8 weeks before your wedding will give your other friends plenty of time to prepare. The invitations are much more necessary than the STDs.

Invitations are absolutely a necessity. How are you going to know who is coming if you don't send out invitations with RSVPs?

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I was hoping to have everyone RSVP on our website. I'm doing my best to keep this both economically and environmentally friendly. And also, why spend SO MUCH time on developing the details on the website when it's not utilized to its fullest??

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Your guests can't RSVP, by mail or online, to something they haven't been invited to. There are lots of ways to save money during wedding planning. Eliminating the part where you actually invite people to your wedding isn't the best option. You can find low cost invite options.

You don't have to have a website if you feel like it's too time consuming. They're not a necessity.

Side note, I would also remove the "including registry" from your save the date. Your registry shouldn't be mentioned.

I think the risk you run with this is people prematurely RSVPing and then not being able to mke it when the time comes and not changing their response which would be a huge waste of money.

Yes.

STDs are not a must, but formal invitations are. Not every guest will go online to look, especially older guests.

STDs are more a heads up for anyone who will be traveling and will need to make hotel/flight arrangements.

I'm not even doing a website. I know my crowd the best and I know they won't go look online. Point blank. Even those who have RSVPs online don't have the best of luck getting responses. I also wouldn't respond to a RSVP 7 months ahead of time because life happens and that's a long time to remember you made plans.

Echoing the others, this won’t work. I think most of your guests will be very confused, and won’t RSVP. And you anyway really don’t want people RSVPing now, because you won’t be able to rely on those responses.

You can still do online RSVPs to save on paper/postage, but the formal invite is needed closer to the wedding to direct guests to go do it.

That being said, your invite doesn’t actually need to be *formal*. You can still include the photo. I would skip the STDs and send out casual invitations similar to these closer to your date. (One other note though - you’re counting on people turning over the STD card, which they may not do. I would have some indication that there is info on the reverse side).

I would also leave the part about your registry off the STD. If guests visit your website that info will be there.

Definitely need a formal invitation a few months out.

OK! thank you for all the feedback. I appreciate it all. And at the end, you've all got me convinced to do a formal invitation. I've updated my StDs, so if you all can provide feedback and give me the go ahead, then I'll order!

As for website, since many people are coming from afar (like, needing to book flights, hotels, etc...) it has been super important to them and quite a few have already RSVP'd. With this being said, and to save money, can I send out a formal invite with the instruction to go to our website to RSVP by (date) or are RSVP cards absolutely necessary?? There is so much etiquette to this process!

front of cardback of card

I like the updated version of the STD, it does look cleaner (either version is really cute)! May be just include a time you want your guest to show up? Just to let them have some general idea of what to expect.

I actually had this confusion on whether a formal invitation is necessary, and i'm totally surprise with everyone's answer in this post! Our wedding will be only around 50 people, and they are basically all closest family and friends to whom we would reach out individually anyways. In this case I'll probably skip the formal invitation and just go with STDs. Love the idea about the formal invitation, but just hope to save some money there!

I think it looks great. To save money we ordered our all in one invites through Ann's bridal bargains. I really like them, they saved money, and included the RSVP card on the bottom.

I like your new STD design, I agree with PP that you should definitely send a formal invite.

As for your questions about RSVPs, I did ours all online. I found that everyone has a phone or computer and can easily figure it out. We had a few grandparents who needed help, but they just reached out to our parents or another family member and asked them to help. It was so much easier to have all of the RSVPs online. I'm definitely team "online only RSVP". I also have a close friend that did all online RSVPs and she didn't have any trouble either.

What you posted looks more like an invite to me than a save the date (minus the "save the date" and "no formal invitation to follow"). Since it's a destination wedding, I think save the dates & invites are super important. Usually save the dates are optional, but invites are always required. I don't think any information on the back is necessary besides the website & "Formal invitation to follow".