Your thoughts on... RSVPs

I'm currently sitting here struggling with a major "invitation"  question... To have RSVP cards (that guests send back) or not? There are so many options out there now-a-days... cards, postcards, calls, online RSVPs, etc.

Originally the plan was to do online RSVPs on the wedding website (that I'm self-hosting and that I designed, so I'm pretty flexible with that) but now that the day gets closer to sending things out, I'm questioning whether or not this is the right idea. 

I know, without a doubt, that there will be people who won't send back the cards, who won't go online to RSVP, and will need to be called, but what is the better option? 

The money that goes into RSVP cards is expensive-- the cards, the envelopes, the postage, the extra postage on the invitation envelope if it gets to heavy... online seems like a better option in the "money" sense. But is it too high tech? Is it not traditional enough? 

I'd love your thoughts on this issue. What did you do/are you doing for your wedding? Positives? Negatives? Just thoughts in general? I'd love to hear from you! 

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Comments

[Elaine]

I did RSVPs. We weren't going to but decided to go ahead and do them at the last minute and MAN am I glad I did! It gave us SUCH a better idea of what to expect. I think that the online thing might be a little too high tech. Example: my parents don't even OWN a computer. True story. Checking a box on a card to return will be more universal. Also, if you recall- I did RSVP postcards. I made it completely idiot proof. All they had to do was check a box. No filling anything in, no putting it in an envelope, nothing. AND postcards are light and the postage for postcards is half the price!

[Alex]

I like the idea of the postcard, rsvp cards are classics and I wouldn't wanna do away with them but maybe give people alternatives like high tech, then u just have the hastle of tallying up online, or in mail form.

[Lehua Noëlle]

I think that unless you really WANT RSVP cards to be sent back to you, don't do it. They get lost in the mail, people won't send them, and you pay for postage either way which is a loss for you. I did it all online on a wedding website I designed and it worked great. Plus we were able to receive messages from guests that you wouldn't normally get via RSVP card. It was also fun to see the older gen write us emails, they are savvier than we think!

[Bri]

This may be a bit "over the top", but maybe you could just order RSVP post cards for the people you know are not tech-savvy and then use the website for everyone else. It will save you money on the cards but may be a bit much in having to choose who gets what.