1. Marie doesn't open mail.
It's true--I hate opening routine mail. I like personal mail and 50% off discounts, but the rest of my mail is just wasted paper trying to get me to sign up for things I neither want nor need. (I tried to get my mailperson, Sue, to stop delivering crap, but legally she has to deliver it.) And while Chris and I are equally involved in wedding planning, we spend most of our time at my apartment, so we'd use my address.
Opening, recording, and filing each response is probably exciting for someone out there, but it seems rather redundant for a technophile. I would put it off and resent it, Chris would worry that we weren't staying on top of things, we'd spend our date nights sifting through little paper envelopes and double checking each other's records, and that would be bad for everyone. So we're simplifying the process for you, for us, and for mail delivery persons everywhere.
2. Paper RSVPs add up to a lot of waste.
Each one of the 2.5 million weddings this year in the United States will produce an average of 62 tons of carbon dioxide and 400-600 lbs of garbage. (source) And paper is made in an energy-intensive process that creates a large amount of waste. We're using recycled paper, but even that process creates some waste. By responding online you're helping us cut down the amount of manufacturing, shipping, mail delivery, and recycling our wedding causes. So thanks!
