How many guests actually show up?

I am inviting 100 and expecting 70-80.

I'mnviting 251 and hoping it gets down to 200. By the way my invitations are out and I rec'd my first RSVP within 2 days.

Its really up to the type of family and friends you have. Do you have the type that will RSVP? Maybe you have the type that don't know what RSVP means so you will have to call? Or the type that may RSVP but don't show up? Go with your gut feeling. You have an idea of who and ow many will come.

I'm sending out two waves of invites, two weeks apart. I'll start with my "definite invite" people (about 80), then if there are some no responses I'll go to my "maybe invite" list (about 30). FH's family will all go in the first wave becase I have no idea how they operate! But I KNOW how my people are!

[quote="FutureMrsKeepUp"]Its really up to the type of family and friends you have. Do you have the type that will RSVP? Maybe you have the type that don't know what RSVP means so you will have to call? Or the type that may RSVP but don't show up? Go with your gut feeling. You have an idea of who and ow many will come.

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I agree with UpKeep on this one. We invited over 150 people and about 50 attended a DW in JA. I got back 12 RSVP's out of 75 invites. I got to the point where I stopped asking if I don't here from you then I ain't planning for you. I had like four people that did the surprise thing they were the ones that were surprised, bcuz they had no plates to eat of they had no favors and their response was "I told you I had to see" My Response was for a wedding a "surprise appearance is not the best way to go. My WC was very gracious not provide for them at no additional charge but still.

Come to find out weeks before the wedding my DH gave me a half a$$ guest list and there were another 80 people that should have been invited most of which were planning on coming until we told them we were having a seperate reception when we go back. But that is a whole different topic.

FH,oops, I mean my HUSBAND, invited everyone and their mother. I told him we were only paying for 100. At the end of it all, we had about 120 but some who said yes did not come and some who did not answer did come so it weighed itself out. My venue did not charge which is the beautiful thing about buffet. The only reason we knew more showed was because they had to pull out more chairs. There were people who did not have a place to sit.

[quote="MzTajsia"]We invited over 150 people and about 50 attended a DW in JA. I got back 12 RSVP's out of 75 invites. I got to the point where I stopped asking if I don't here from you then I ain't planning for you. I had like four people that did the surprise thing they were the ones that were surprised, bcuz they had no plates to eat of they had no favors and their response was "I told you I had to see" My Response was for a wedding a "surprise appearance is not the best way to go.[/quote]

Ok wait - to go to Jamaica you had to get a passport, book a flight, hotel room, etc and through none of this they could call and say "I'll be there"? How in the "hot place" you leave the damn country without an RSVP?!

I can say I've got my reception list down to 43. FH keeps losing his list!!!! I'm ready to safety pin it to him. Which reminds me, I have to send him and email to call his grandmother to get the list of relatives again. The last time we talked about it there were maybe 25 people on it. So all together we're probably at 65ish. We're after we review his list (again) we want to get down to 50 invites. And are hoping only 30ish come.

We sent out maybe around 250 invitations. I dont know exactly how many we actually had but it was a little over 150. The thing that really pissed me off was that a lot of the people that sent back their rsvp went to the wedding but did not go to the reception or either they RSVP for two people and only one showed up. There should be a rule that says if you RSVP and don't show up, you need to write a check to the bride and groom to cover the cost of the meal!

Browncat, I hear you. I invited about 180 people, of which 165 responded yes they were coming. Of the 165 that responded yes I had about 5 no shows. I had 3 people I didn't invite show up so I pretty much only lost the cost of 2 plates. But at $100 a plate, even 2 plates make you mad.

Go ahead big baller!

[quote="housewife147"]Go ahead big baller![/quote]

I know right! People will definitely be chasing a dream if they think they're getting a $100 dinner out of me! I don't think I've given myself a $100 meal!

Pamcrow, can I be like you when I grow up?

[quote="pamcrow"] But at $100 a plate, even 2 plates make you mad.
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Whhhooooo weeeee!!

what did yall eat? diamond crusted chicken???!!!
shoot, my food is about $12.95 a plate...LOL!
@$100, you're gonna eat your food! if I have to go to your house, job, stalk you out or whatever. No... your gonna EAT!! & EVERYTHING on the damn plate at that!

I know that's right MsBoston! Every crumb!!!!!

[quote="MsBoston"]
what did yall eat? diamond crusted chicken???!!!
shoot, my food is about $12.95 a plate...LOL!
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[quote="MsBoston"]<

what did yall eat? diamond crusted chicken???!!!
shoot, my food is about $12.95 a plate...LOL!

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$12.95 !!!! Boston, MA is only 2 hours West of me. I could have moved wedding to Boston for that price. In my area a wedding at a decent venue starts at about $50-60 per person and when you add the 23% tax & gratuity fee, well you can do the math on that. What we paid is average for a NICE venue here in the state capital. We wanted something different, some place none of our friends has ever been. So our wedding became "The hood meets country club"..We had valets parking cars with spinners..LOL

The price included alot, take a look at www.shakerridgeevents.com for all that's included. We choose the extravaganza package because it included open bar all night. Although we paid for most of the wedding ourselves, my parents helped also so it wasn't to to bad.

I am inviting between 130-150 guest, and whoever rsvp better show up or I am taking them to small claims court. Ya'll will see me on Judge Judy.

LOL! Wifey you are too funny!

LOL House! I know that's right!!!

[quote="HeCallsMeAbeni"]I can say I've got my reception list down to 43. FH keeps losing his list!!!! I'm ready to safety pin it to him. Which reminds me, I have to send him and email to call his grandmother to get the list of relatives again. The last time we talked about it there were maybe 25 people on it. So all together we're probably at 65ish. We're after we review his list (again) we want to get down to 50 invites. And are hoping only 30ish come.
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Ok Abeni don't wait for your FH to give his list. You go ajd sit down with his Mom or G-ma and get what you need. Bcuz if you wait for him you will find that some people didn't get invited and stuff like that. Word to the wise take it from someone who knows.

MzTajsia, that's exactly what I had to do. Do you know I asked FH for addresses over a month ago. He calls me yesterday and says I started getting addresses today. I'm like, fool, I already have your address!

House, you are a darn trip! Talking about Judge Judy! lmao

MsB, you sure do you a STEAL!!!!!!! I wish I could find someplace at that price. My venue is also $100 per person (that including gratuity and tax). Most of the places I looked at were all in the same range. Some was higher, but I cannot go higher than that. I'm barely making the $100 pp. lol

You telling me. My fh is so cheat he told me just to give him his invittions and he will hand deliver them.

Always allow for 10 extra people showing up to your event. Sit down dinners allow for four extras just in case. Most caterers will make that adjustment, but it is not guaranteed that they will think ahead for you. ALWAYS get extra invitations. If you forget someone you can really save face by sending out late and saying it got lost in the mail, was returned or whatever.

In most cases more people than you invite show up and only about 60% rsvp. THE REST WILL TRY AND ROLL UP ON YA!

MzTajsia,
I started thinking the same thing last night. So he's going to call her when he comes down to get his hair done on Saturday. However that number is going to jump from 15 to thirty because he wasn't counting his immediate family because he was like they live so close to each other. I told him that this is the list for invites, food, and favors so we have to get the numbers. After that he felt kind of simple lol. At this point I'm ready to do the list by myself, shoot.

I sent out 120 invitations and most of them RSVP'd. I tried to get the list smaller and this is as small as I could get it. The church folks are taking up the majority of the seats, with their "always got something to say" selves! Pray for me y'all!

That is a great question! I don't even know exactly how many people i have invited, i think around 150. my caterer is very flexible. if 75-100 attend i will be very happy

I think this was the issue I still struggle with the most. Our capacity was 160. We invited 150...but we should have over invited...We got so caught up in the hype with invite mess we cut out some friends because we just KNEW our families who were INSISTENT on coming would be there....well just under 100 showed up...We paid for 125 after counting the RSVP's and the phone call confirmation...so we let our staff and other vendors eat up which almost broke us even on the number of plates.....But my biggest regret was over worrying about it, and ending up not inviting some of my good friends from college...
My brother also over-invited, I think he invited 200, 175 was the cap, and like 160 showed up, but at least he sent them all invites and was not afraid of having more show up....The reality is about 75-80% actually showing up. Maybe less if the wedding was out of town or not in your hometown, like mine and my brother's wedding. If you are having it in one or both of your hometowns then you should be careful and avoid over-inviting...but that's my experience in a nutshell....I was sad many did not make the trip as they promised and insisted on getting invites, but I was even more upset that my other friends wee left out unnecessarily because we were so worried.

that is good advice, i have been so worried about the number of people that will actually come. it's such a big guessing game. if people only knew the amount of planning and... hello.... money that we have shell out, i think they would be more considerate.

Our limit was 150 guest so we are inviting 156-160, just to be on the safe side

[quote="MzTajsia"]

I agree with UpKeep on this one. We invited over 150 people and about 50 attended a DW in JA. I got back 12 RSVP's out of 75 invites. I got to the point where I stopped asking if I don't here from you then I ain't planning for you. I had like four people that did the surprise thing they were the ones that were surprised, bcuz they had no plates to eat of they had no favors and their response was "I told you I had to see" My Response was for a wedding a "surprise appearance is not the best way to go. My WC was very gracious not provide for them at additional charge but still.
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I would have loved to see the look on the faces of the four people that did the "surprise" thing. Pamcrow, for $100 a plate, I better not catch anyone throwing food away.

[quote="platinumstyle"] Pamcrow, for $100 a plate, I better not catch anyone throwing food away.
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You know what, now that I thank of it, I don't think anyone in my bridal party finished their plate, including me & hubby. The portion sizes were huge and there was so much food during the bleeptail hour that most weren't even hungry when plates arrived. I can honestly say though that I don't regret a thing about my venue choice and I would pay that $100 again and again. The overrall service was amazing. I truly got what I paid for.

I invited 135 and only about 90 showed up. This included people who RSVP'd and didn't show. Keep in mind that will happen.

I completely agree with you pamcrow. At first I was complaining about the cost for my venue, however the location is beautiful and convient,plus food and service is wonderful.