RSVP: knowing how many guests will come
The number your caterer asks for: collecting your guests’ replies without calling each of them, and what the RSVP of a digital invitation really does.
Published 11 September 20263 min read
Three weeks before the wedding, the caterer asks the only question that matters: “how many will you be?”. And so begins the round of calls — two hundred people, “we’ll see”, “I’ll tell you tomorrow”. The RSVP is where a digital invitation helps most, provided you know what it does and what it does not.
How a guest replies
At the bottom of the invitation, a “Reply” button. The guest picks “yes” or “no”, says how many people are coming with them, writes their name — and it is sent. No account, no app: it works in WhatsApp’s browser, even on an old phone. The confirmation is spelled out — “you replied yes for 3 people” — so there is no doubt.
What you see on your side
- The list of replies — who said yes, who said no, with the number for each, and the date of the reply.
- The total — the figure to give the caterer, added up for you, including when the wedding has two invitations (groom’s side, bride’s side).
- A summary by email, once a day — only when there is something new. Never a notification per reply.
All of this is available from the management link you received by email, or with your email or phone number and a code at invi.tn/acces — from any phone, even your mother’s.
What you should know, honestly
- The list is open. Anyone who has the link can reply: it is not a closed list with named invitations. Within a family that is what you want — the link travels, and the cousin invited by his mother replies too.
- The last reply counts. A guest who changes their mind replies again, and the new reply replaces the old one. No duplicates.
- Not everyone will reply. That is true of the card as much as of the link. But the half who reply on their own is half the calls you will not have to make.
Three gestures for more replies
- Ask for it in the message that goes with the link: “just tell us if you will be there”. One sentence is enough.
- Send a reminder one week before, with the same link. That is when the replies really come in.
- Chase the ones missing from the list. You can see who replied; for the others, a personal message — or a call — is enough.
To send the link properly in the first place, read how to share on WhatsApp. And to see the reply form on each design, open the catalogue.
Frequently asked questions
Does a guest have to give a phone number or email to reply?
No. They give their name, their answer and the number of people. Nothing else is asked.
Can I close replies on a given date?
Replies stay open as long as the invitation is active, that is until one month after the wedding. After that the invitation remains readable but no longer takes replies.
Can the caterer receive the list?
You see the list and the total in your space, and you pass them on however you like. The total is already added up, both versions included.
What happens if a guest replies twice?
Their last reply replaces the previous one. The total never counts the same person twice from the same phone.
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