BEFORE YOU INVITE YOUR PEOPLE
How to collect RSVPs without an app or account
You’re asking whether someone can come. Having to download an app or remember another password is a lot for a yes or no. With Harmony, guests open your link and reply. That’s it.
One link, wherever you send it
Send the invitation by WhatsApp, text, or email. Pick the place each guest is likely to read it. The link takes them to the details and the RSVP.
You’ll need a Harmony account to create the invitation. Your guests won’t need one.
Put a sentence before the link so people know what they’re opening. Name the occasion, the date, and who the message is from. A link sent on its own can sit unread even when it came from someone familiar.
For a relative who rarely checks email, send the same link in a personal message. You don’t need everyone to use the same conversation; you need their answers to end up in the same guest list.
Be clear about who’s invited
Name the people you’re inviting in your message. Say whether partners or children are included. A box asking for party size doesn’t explain who can come.
Ask guests to count themselves in the total. For food questions, ask them to name the person each answer belongs to.
A household reply needs a little explanation. “How many people are coming, including you?” is clearer than “Party size.” If you need names for meals or places, ask for those too. Don’t expect one number to tell you everything about the group.
Keep the questions close to the occasion
Start with whether they can come and how many people are included. Add a food question if you’re serving a meal. Ask about travel only if you’re arranging something, such as a pickup, and will use the answer.
When a guest needs to explain something personal, give them a way to message you privately. The invitation can ask what you need without asking someone to discuss it in front of a whole group.
A household reply
Please include yourself in the total and list the names of everyone coming with you.
A short food question
Does anyone in your party have dietary needs? Please include their name, or message [host name] privately.
Leave yourself time to follow up
Set your reply date before you need to confirm food or seats. There will probably be someone whose travel plans are still uncertain.
Check the number of people attending, not just the number of replies. One yes could mean a family of four.
Send a reminder to people whose replies you still need. Include the date and link again so they don’t have to scroll back through the chat. If you need a firm number for a booking, explain that plainly.
A “maybe” deserves its own follow-up. Ask when they expect to know, then make a note to check with them. Silence and uncertainty are different things, even though neither gives you a final headcount.
Ask someone to try replying
Before sending it to everyone, ask a friend to open the invitation on their phone and read it as a guest. Can they find the address? Do they know who to include? Does the food question make sense?
Check the answer you receive too. A question can sound clear when you write it and still produce “both” when you needed two separate meal choices. It’s easier to fix that before the whole family replies.
Make room for a phone call
If a relative would rather tell you directly, take the reply and add it to your guest list. The point is to know who’s coming.
Ask guests to message you if their plans change. Update their existing reply so you don’t count them twice.
If two people in the same household both answer, check whether they’re describing the same group. Keep one accurate count rather than adding both replies together. A quick “Is this for both of you?” can prevent a surprising jump in the numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Do guests need an app or account?
No. They open the invitation link and reply without either.
Can I ask about food and plus-ones?
Yes. Add questions for the details you need. Explain who’s invited and ask for each person’s name beside their meal choice.
Can anyone open the link?
Anyone you share it with can pass it on. Send it to the people you mean to invite and keep private details off the page.
What should I put in a reminder?
Name the occasion, repeat the reply date, and include the link. If there’s a booking or food deadline, say so. Keep it personal and send it only to people whose answer you still need.