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Ohio-Cincinnati
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Out of town guests

kmorgan28kmorgan28 member
10 Comments
in Ohio-Cincinnati
I just moved to the area at Christmas time, then got engaged.  My fiance and I decided it would be easiest to get married here, which we will in October!  But I'm wondering now how many of our guests will actually show up since a lot of them are from out of town, like states away, and in some cases cross country. 

Anyone else have an experience with this?  I'm trying to plan a guest list, and know that some I put on won't show up, but I don't want to run into the problem of inviting too many to where the venue can't hold us.. Anyone know a percentage of people you invite but don't end up making the long trip?
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Re: Out of town guests

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    You should probably pick a venue that holds all of the people you are inviting...because you never know if all of them might show up!...but I have heard about 75% come and that goes down for weddings where most are traveling...  BUt like I said.... I probably would budget for everyone to come..just in case!
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  • specialk84specialk84
    2500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    You should definitely not invite more people than your venue can hold.  I've heard stories of women doing this, thinking their OOT family wouldn't travel, only be surprised when they all treated it as a family reunion.  You can't uninvite somebody, so you need to have room for every person.
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  • JMWiesMomJMWiesMom member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I would agree with the other posts.  You should have a guest list number you don't want to go over and then budget off that.  I have a lot of OOT guest, over 50% of out guest list.  We made sure out venue can hold everyone but we know some people wont be able to make it.  We are having our reception at the Radisson in Covington and chose a hotel to help accommodate OOT guests.  One trick the Radisson is doing is once we have a final number we will decide whether to seat 8 or 10 people at a table.  We will go with 8/table if we need to fill the room if less guests are expected and 10/table if we have more. 

    It is definitely better to overestimate than underestimate.

    Another idea to help distinguish a more accurate number is by separating those you expect to come and those you know wont.  Instead of having an A/B list we split ours into: Definitely will come, Might come, Definitely wont attend.  For example, my grandmother is too old to make the 10 hour trip.  She is getting an invitation but we aren't counting her in the number for the reception hall.  We had about 15 people on the definitely wont attend list which is helping with our estimates.  The definitely will come and might come list are counted assuming they will be there.  I would only recommend making these distinctions if you can be certain someone isn't able to make it.  My mom had to help make those decisions.  I know it isn't the best way but it is definitely helping with our number estimates.

    Good luck!
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  • caseyandlizziecaseyandlizzie member
    2500 Comments Third Anniversary Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I would find a venue to fit your entire guest list. I used to live out of town and almost ALL of our OOT guests are making the trip...now the locals are a whole other story, but yes, do find a venue to accomodate everyone you are inviting. Its better to be safe than underestimate and be screwed when everyone decides to come.

    Oh, and I highly disagree with PP about having the A/B list, they really are not a good idea. You may have someone who you "know" won't be able to make it (like FI's great-aunt in California, who FI's mother SWORE wouldn't be able to make it, but hey, guess what, SHE'S COMING!)

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  • ebbowman5ebbowman5
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011

    I agree that your venue should be big enough to hold EVERYONE; You never know how many people will be able to show. Although you always expect people to not make it, you can't count on it.

    Our venue holds 275 "comfortably".. but can "squeeze 300 in if needed." We are inviting 280, so it works out perfectly for us. (Plus I'm hoping at least 20 or so people won't make is so that the place isn't too packed!) ;) Good luck!!

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  • lindsaynhlindsaynh
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    we invited a 220, and had 145 actually come. Pretty much everyone who did not come was an out of town guest. Oh, and part of why the numbers ended up being so different is because we invited dates for each guest, or whole families in some cases, and almost all of my friends didn't bring dates. So figure all that in too. I know people say you can't really predict, but I predicted we'd have 150 even though we invited 220, and I was pretty darn close lol.

    Hope this helps!
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