RSVP wording

elizabeth121985

My mom is worried that we'll have a lot of older guests come to just the ceremony (it's an evening wedding) and then leave before the reception.  

In an effort to try to eliminate such guests from the head count for our caterer (and thus cut down on the bill), she would like to have 2 "attending" RSVP options:  one that reads "will be attending ceremony only" and the other "will be attending ceremony and reception".

Has this ever been done?  I feel like it will be blatantly obvious that we're looking to cut our bill.  Am I wrong?

Beachy730

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_rsvp-wording-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:cceae406-e34a-4b85-b028-43b03348e9f1Post:d02443d9-0a77-4fdf-ab72-4254e7ec8573">RSVP wording</a>:
[QUOTE]My mom is worried that we'll have a lot of older guests come to just the ceremony (it's an evening wedding) and then leave before the reception.   In an effort to try to eliminate such guests from the head count for our caterer (and thus cut down on the bill), she would like to have 2 "attending" RSVP options:  one that reads "will be attending ceremony only" and the other "will be attending ceremony and reception". Has this ever been done? <strong> I feel like it will be blatantly obvious that we're looking to cut our bill.  </strong>Am I wrong?
Posted by elizabeth121985[/QUOTE]

<div>It will be blatantly obvious.  Trust people to come if they RSVP yes.  But regardless you will have some no-shows the day of, and there is nothing you can do about it.</div><div>
</div><div>Another way to ensure that they don't leave is to have no gap between the ceremony and reception, and have them in the same location.  </div>

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

The RSVP is really for the reception. People know that.

lyndausvi

I must have come from a weird family.    We had a ton of old people, but they never missed a party regardless of the time.  Now they may have left early, but they always drank and ate your monies worth.

elizabeth121985

Glad to know I'm not the only one with this thought process.  I tried to tell my mom these same things, but I thought I'd at least throw it out there.

Thanks guys!