Second Weddings

Do 2nd weddings typically have less of a guest turn out?

My fiance is thinking that less of our guests will come to our wedding since it is a 2nd wedding.  He thinks only half the guests we invite will come. I think it may be more.  What do you all think? This is a great site!
Katie

Re: Do 2nd weddings typically have less of a guest turn out?

  • edited December 2011
    We invited about 80 and had about 70 attend.  The NOs we got were all pretty expected.  A few work colleagues who don't go to anything declined.  Our neighbors originally said yes, then changed it to a no because of a "family event" per the wife.  A week or so later the husband was talking to DH and told him about how excited his wife was for the upcoming American Idols tour.  Yes- it was the day of the wedding.  We STILL laugh about that one.
    I think different people have different experiences with who attends.  ~Donna
  • Marrin713Marrin713 member
    1000 Comments Third Anniversary 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Hail no!  We invited 50 and 52 came!  I think more are likely to reply yes.  Don't know your ages, but H and I are both 54.  We've been dating for 7 years.  He went through a miserable divorce and mine was no picnic either so our friends and family have always been doubly overjoyed that we make each happy.  Anyway at our age, our friendships/relationships are so cemented and so long-lived that everyone wanted to come.  People were genuinely excited.

    So yeh, tell your fiance don't bank on only 1/2 coming.  And don't base your wedding decisions on that either.
  • edited December 2011
    I can only tell you that everyone that we have spoken with about our wedding is planning on attending.  I definitely wouldn't plan on only half of your guests accepting. 
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
    130image Invited to dance the night away!
    92image Want to show their best moves!
    38image Have two left feet and won't be dancing!
    0image Are too embarrased to say they don't dance!

  • Lisa50Lisa50 member
    2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011

    Even though we have yet to send invitations (oh yeah, I need to order those!), we know a small portion are not able to attend due to financial circumstances.  We have a very strong, vocal majority who plan to be there though.  If I were you, I'd plan on 100% attendance, unless and until you know otherwise.

  • PecklesPeckles member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Ours was my husband's second wedding. We invited 140 people and 133 came, which was right around what I expected when we sent out invitations. Most of the guest list was his family too.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • 2dBride2dBride member
    2500 Comments Fourth Anniversary 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    The only way in which our attendance was lowered was by the fact that many of the older relatives had died between my first wedding (in 1977) and my second.
  • TobeSASTobeSAS member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I think it really depends on where people are coming from. All of my family will have to travel and with the economy I don't expect many to make it. We are hoping for at least 100 in attendance. We are inviting about 140. But again, most are out of state. Realistically FI and I are expecting only 80 or so.

    It really just depends on the circumstances, location, affordability for guests and I guess if the American Idol tour is in town for some (hehe, right1thistime)
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • edited December 2011

    Some people we invited we expected not to come. I had the amout of people I expected.... We ended up with 95. 

    I think you can get a sense of how people feel about your engagement and marriage, and if they will attend

    Like Marrin, I had a horrible marriage/divorce many years ago, and people were overjoyed that hubby and I were getting married, and were (Like Lisa's guests) very vocal and excited for our wedding.. I had been divorced about 12 years before the remarriage. Dated DH for 6 of those years.

  • MikesAngieMikesAngie member
    1000 Comments Third Anniversary Name Dropper 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011

    Here's our story, at this juncture.  We invited 105, we have 57 who responded in the affirmative that they are coming. We budgeted for 80, so it's a little under what we thought it would be - that's okay.

    All of our guests are having to travel, and all are having to sacrifice a day off work since we are getting married in the evening on Sunday.  Some of the guests that sent their regrets were originally excited to be there and looking forward to it.  Some of those had work intervene (one is working in Europe), some had an injury (darn Sturgis trip), another pregnancy and others couldn't afford the vacation time.
    I think our case is not the norm, more often than not the ratio of yes to no is about 80 - 90% yes (especially for a second wedding) 10 - 20% no.  According to the wedding professionals we spoke to in the area the average is roughly 15% no.

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