So our RSVP date was this past Saturday, and we had not heard from at least a third of our guest list. Of those we'd heard from, only appromixmately half are able to attend (about 60 people). Now that we're contacting the stragglers, most of them are turning out to be nos.
I know we were never going to get a 100% or even 80% acceptance rate, but we're going to end up in the neighborhood of 50%, and I'm really struggling with disappointment and sadness. I am particularly sad for D; he doesn't have a ton of close friends, and nearly all of them, save his best man and one couple, are not coming. They are all declining for perfectly legitimate reasons - pregnancy, trips that can't be changed, etc - but seeing his face every time a new no comes in is really hard. One friend of his who had RSVPd yes just yesterday let him know that she is now not coming due to the expense of traveling across the country.
Today, my dad's cousin, who raised me for a time and who is very special to me, let me know that she is not coming because her nephew (who she raised and is now 18) is on a travel hockey team and has games that weekend that "he will not miss for anything." On the one hand I get it - that's really important to him, and he is the wheels of the operation (my dad's cousin doesn't drive; never has) - but on the other hand, I'm disappointed that she wouldn't make a different choice for herself. My grandparents (her aunt and uncle) live in the same town as her, and they could certainly give her a ride up to PA.
And D, well, he's talking about needing to shorten the reception and cancel the RD (because that's 30 people and what's the point if it's already half the wedding guests) and cancel the limo (I don't understand that one) all because there will be so few people there. I think he's embarassed, honestly, or feeling like he was foolish to think that so many people would want to be there. I feel terrible for him. He doesn't show emotion much, but he's way more sensitive than he lets on.
I really hope this doesn't come across as selfish. Obviously, our wedding is not as important to anyone else as it is to us, and it appears that we have picked an inopportune time to get married for people in our circle, but I'm just sad.
