diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index 2f4e899..e33543c 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
     "dotenv": "^16.3.1",
     "sqlite3": "^5.1.6",
-    "sqlite": "^4.1.2"
+    "sqlite": "^4.1.2",
+    "nodemailer": "^6.9.8"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/express": "^4.17.17",
diff --git a/backend/src/email.ts b/backend/src/email.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2648c71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/email.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+import nodemailer from 'nodemailer';
+
+const transporter = nodemailer.createTransport({
+  host: process.env.EMAIL_HOST,
+  port: Number(process.env.EMAIL_PORT),
+  secure: process.env.EMAIL_SECURE === 'true', // true for 465, false for other ports
+  auth: {
+    user: process.env.EMAIL_USER,
+    pass: process.env.EMAIL_PASS,
+  },
+});
+
+export interface RSVPEmailData {
+  eventTitle: string;
+  name: string;
+  attending: string;
+  bringingGuests: string;
+  guestCount: number;
+  guestNames: string[];
+  itemsBringing: string[];
+  otherItems: string;
+  to: string;
+}
+
+export async function sendRSVPEmail(data: RSVPEmailData) {
+  const {
+    eventTitle,
+    name,
+    attending,
+    bringingGuests,
+    guestCount,
+    guestNames,
+    itemsBringing,
+    otherItems,
+    to,
+  } = data;
+
+  const subject = `RSVP Confirmation for ${eventTitle}`;
+  const guestList = guestNames.length ? guestNames.join(', ') : 'None';
+  const itemsList = itemsBringing.length ? itemsBringing.join(', ') : 'None';
+  const otherItemsList = otherItems ? otherItems : 'None';
+
+  const html = `
+    <h2>RSVP Confirmation</h2>
+    <p><strong>Event:</strong> ${eventTitle}</p>
+    <p><strong>Name:</strong> ${name}</p>
+    <p><strong>Attending:</strong> ${attending}</p>
+    <p><strong>Bringing Guests:</strong> ${bringingGuests} (${guestCount})</p>
+    <p><strong>Guest Names:</strong> ${guestList}</p>
+    <p><strong>Items Bringing (from needed list):</strong> ${itemsList}</p>
+    <p><strong>Other Items:</strong> ${otherItemsList}</p>
+  `;
+
+  await transporter.sendMail({
+    from: {
+      name: process.env.EMAIL_FROM_NAME || '',
+      address: process.env.EMAIL_FROM_ADDRESS || process.env.EMAIL_USER || '',
+    },
+    to,
+    subject,
+    html,
+  });
+} 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/src/index.ts b/backend/src/index.ts
index 8ea0d2e..7993c5d 100644
--- a/backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/index.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import dotenv from 'dotenv';
 import path from 'path';
 import multer from 'multer';
 import fs from 'fs';
+import { sendRSVPEmail } from './email';
 
 dotenv.config();
 
@@ -294,6 +295,29 @@ app.post('/api/events/:slug/rsvp', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
       [eventId, name, attending, bringing_guests, guest_count, JSON.stringify(parsedGuestNames), JSON.stringify(parsedItemsBringing), other_items || '']
     );
 
+    // Fetch event title for the email
+    const eventInfo = await db.get('SELECT title FROM events WHERE id = ?', [eventId]);
+    const eventTitle = eventInfo ? eventInfo.title : slug;
+
+    // Send RSVP confirmation email (if email provided)
+    if (req.body.email) {
+      try {
+        await sendRSVPEmail({
+          eventTitle,
+          name,
+          attending,
+          bringingGuests: bringing_guests,
+          guestCount: guest_count,
+          guestNames: parsedGuestNames,
+          itemsBringing: parsedItemsBringing,
+          otherItems: other_items || '',
+          to: req.body.email,
+        });
+      } catch (emailErr) {
+        console.error('Error sending RSVP email:', emailErr);
+      }
+    }
+
     // Return the complete RSVP data including the parsed arrays
     res.status(201).json({
       id: result.lastID,
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index f600924..222d0c8 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@ services:
       - uploads:/app/uploads
     environment:
       - NODE_ENV=production
+      - EMAIL_HOST=smtp.example.com
+      - EMAIL_PORT=587
+      - EMAIL_USER=your@email.com
+      - EMAIL_PASS=yourpassword
+      - EMAIL_FROM_NAME=RSVP Manager
+      - EMAIL_FROM_ADDRESS=your@email.com
+      - EMAIL_SECURE=false
     restart: unless-stopped
 
 volumes: