Wedding RSVP Tracker
Track who has replied, who hasn't, and what they're eating — with a live attending count and meal totals your caterer can actually use.
Attending
0
Declined
0
Awaiting reply
0
Replied
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No guests yet — paste a list or add them one at a time. Everything stays on this device.
Replies in? Build the seating chart from your confirmed yeses.
73How to track wedding RSVPs
RSVP tracking is a chasing job, not a filing job. Assume from the start that a meaningful share of your guests will not reply by the deadline — not from rudeness, but because a reply card sits on a fridge for three weeks. Plan for the chase and it stops being stressful.
Set your RSVP deadline three to four weeks before the wedding, which is usually a week before your caterer needs final numbers. That buffer week is not padding: it is the week you spend calling the people who have not replied.
What your caterer and venue actually need
Three numbers, and they want them together: total attending, meal counts by choice, and dietary requirements with names attached. The tracker above produces the first two live and excludes anyone who declined or has not replied — which is the mistake that produces forty extra dinners.
Send the vendor count from confirmed yeses only. If a handful are still outstanding at the deadline, count them as declines and tell your caterer the number that might rise. Most will accept a small upward adjustment days out; almost none will refund a plated meal nobody ate.
Chasing the people who have not replied
A week after the deadline, message the non-responders individually. Not a group email — a direct message that assumes the best: "just checking we have you down right, are you able to make it?" The response rate to that is dramatically higher than to a reminder addressed to everyone.
Phone the last handful. It feels like an imposition and it is a two-minute call that saves you paying for meals nobody eats, and gives you a final seating chart you can actually build from.
Frequently asked questions
Is this RSVP tracker free?
Yes, with no account. Replies, meal choices and headcounts are kept in your own browser. A free account saves it permanently, syncs across devices, and can send and track digital RSVP invitations for you.
When should the RSVP deadline be?
Three to four weeks before the wedding — usually about a week before your caterer needs final numbers. That week is the buffer you will spend chasing the people who have not replied.
What percentage of guests usually decline?
Around 10-20% for a local wedding, and 20-40% for a destination one. Those are planning figures, not promises: a wedding on a holiday weekend or in a hard-to-reach location will sit at the higher end.
How do I count guests who never reply?
Count them as declines for the caterer's number, then chase them individually. It is far easier to add a few plates days out than to pay for meals nobody eats.
How do I collect meal choices?
Ask on the RSVP itself with the options named, and record the choice against the guest. The tracker totals meals only for people who have replied yes, which is the number your caterer wants.
Should I do digital or paper RSVPs?
Digital replies arrive faster and are far easier to chase, and paper cards get a warmer response from older guests. Doing both — a card with a link on it — gets the best of each, and the link is what most people will actually use.
How do I chase RSVPs without being rude?
Message individually rather than emailing the group, assume the best, and keep it to one line. Most non-replies are an unopened envelope, not a decision, and a direct message gets an answer within a day.
Does this connect to the seating chart?
Yes — build your chart from confirmed yeses only. Open the free seating chart maker and paste the attending names, or use a free account so RSVPs and seating share one list.
Other free wedding tools
Seating chart maker
Drag guests into place, auto-arrange a first draft, and keep feuding relatives apart.
Table calculator
How many tables, linens and centerpieces you need — and the floor area they take up.
Guest list tracker
Track households, plus-ones, children and dietary needs without a spreadsheet.
Budget calculator
A category breakdown from your total and guest count — with what each guest actually costs.
Planning the whole wedding?
These tools are part of Vows & Volts — guest list, RSVPs, budget, vendors, and an AI floor-plan designer, in one place. See what's included