Invitations versus acceptance Ratio's?

ANDOPANO6

I've heard so many different avereage ratio's on how many people you invite versus how many people actually SHOW up? (I realize many factors do come into determnation, ie we are having our wedding about 45 minutes outside of town) Does anyone have a good idea what this ratio is usually like? For instance, I am inviting about 275 does that usually=200?? I am so scared EVERYONE will come and I'll end up paying an additional 6k or 150 will come and I wasted all this money on a giant wedding. HELP! Iam so confused on the "law of averages"? Thanks in advance.

angelsong21

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_invitations-versus-acceptance-ratios?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:92bcf8e4-f8fd-4472-9fb9-9e038ea7b93aPost:ae399d80-652e-4063-a26b-9f5d93b67ccd">Invitations versus acceptance Ratio's?</a>:
[QUOTE]I've heard so many different avereage ratio's on how many people you invite versus how many people actually SHOW up? (I realize many factors do come into determnation, ie we are having our wedding about 45 minutes outside of town) Does anyone have a good idea what this ratio is usually like? For instance, I am inviting about 275 does that usually=200?? I am so scared EVERYONE will come and I'll end up paying an additional 6k or 150 will come and I wasted all this money on a giant wedding. HELP! Iam so confused on the "law of averages"? Thanks in advance.
Posted by ANDOPANO6[/QUOTE]

You should always assume 100% of the people you invite to your wedding will actually come.  If you don't make that assumption, you could be left with an unexpected high bill and a lot more stress than is necessary just weeks before your wedding.

kristinanddan

Ditto pp. Plan on everyone attending. 

And this isn't meant to be snarky, just helpful: it's ratios; no apostrophe. It isn't a contraction and ratio doesn't have possession of anything.

ElisabethJoanne

Money-wise and space-wise, plan on everyone attending.

Mood-wise, consider how large spaces can not feel empty, and talk with whoever is setting them up for how to adjust them to your RSVPs. If your RSVPs are low, enlarge the dance floor. Move the buffet into the main area, instead of a separate space. Put some more space between tables. At the church, put ribbons on back pews (or instruct ushers) to get people sitting towards the front.

AurorasEnvy

I've read on average that you can expect about 25% (give or take 5%) of people to decline the invite.  However, there are instances of brides who have near 100% attendance, and brides who have more than 25% RSVP "no".

That being said, I would invite only the number of people that you can absolutely afford and/or fit into your venue.  I'd hate to be the bride who invites 250 when her venue can literally only fit 200, and when 225 RSVP "yes" she's panicking!  (And yes, this really happens and brides really post about this).

I'm personally inviting 209 - 99% are out of towners requiring a hotel stay.  I'm hoping that we have around 150-160, but if all 209 show up we are prepared to swing it financially & space wise.