diff --git a/static/rsvp-submit.php b/static/rsvp-submit.php
index 972b139..4ce9b79 100755
--- a/static/rsvp-submit.php
+++ b/static/rsvp-submit.php
@@ -9,6 +9,17 @@ if (!empty($_POST['website'])) {
     exit; // silently drop bot submission
 }
 
+/* Load environment variables (your Option 1) */
+$env = parse_ini_file('/etc/wedding.env');
+
+$smtpUser = $env['SMTP_USER'] ?? null;
+$smtpPass = $env['SMTP_PASS'] ?? null;
+$smtpHost = $env['SMTP_HOST'] ?? 'posteo.de';
+
+if (!$smtpUser || !$smtpPass) {
+    exit("Server misconfiguration (missing SMTP credentials)");
+}
+
 /* Safely read form fields */
 $first_name = htmlspecialchars($_POST['first_name'] ?? '');
 $last_name  = htmlspecialchars($_POST['last_name'] ?? '');
@@ -20,19 +31,47 @@ if (!$first_name || !$last_name) {
     exit("Missing required fields");
 }
 
-/* Email setup */
+/* Build email content */
 $to = "hochzeit@markinstefan.xyz";
 $subject = "New Wedding RSVP from $first_name $last_name";
 
-$message = "Name: $first_name $last_name\n";
-$message .= "Drinks: $drinks\n";
-$message .= "Allergies: $allergies\n";
+$body = "New RSVP received:\n\n";
+$body .= "Name: $first_name $last_name\n";
+$body .= "Drinks: $drinks\n";
+$body .= "Allergies: $allergies\n";
+$body .= "Time: " . date("Y-m-d H:i:s") . "\n";
 
-$headers = "From: no-reply@yourdomain.com\r\n";
-$headers .= "Reply-To: no-reply@yourdomain.com\r\n";
+/* Load PHPMailer */
+use PHPMailer\PHPMailer\PHPMailer;
+use PHPMailer\PHPMailer\Exception;
 
-/* Send mail */
-mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers);
+require __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';
 
-echo "Thank you! Your RSVP has been sent.";
+$mail = new PHPMailer(true);
+
+try {
+    /* SMTP config */
+    $mail->isSMTP();
+    $mail->Host       = $smtpHost;
+    $mail->SMTPAuth   = true;
+    $mail->Username   = $smtpUser;
+    $mail->Password   = $smtpPass;
+    $mail->SMTPSecure = PHPMailer::ENCRYPTION_STARTTLS;
+    $mail->Port       = 587;
+
+    /* Email headers */
+    $mail->setFrom($smtpUser, 'Wedding RSVP');
+    $mail->addAddress($to);
+
+    $mail->Subject = $subject;
+    $mail->Body    = $body;
+
+    $mail->send();
+
+    echo "Thank you! Your RSVP has been sent.";
+
+} catch (Exception $e) {
+    error_log("RSVP mail failed: " . $mail->ErrorInfo);
+    exit("Sorry, something went wrong sending your RSVP.");
+}
 ?>