XP: No-shows at reception?

tdmaus · January 2012

Hi ladies,

so i'm working on our invitations right now...and that got me thinking: what if guests RSVP, but then don't show up? I know, that stuff like that can't be avoided...but i was wondering: are you doing any precautions? especially since we have to pay the vendor the total amount of guests in advance...so if say 100 RSVP, but only 90 show up, that means, we would lose more than $1000 right there! My FI thinks, we should just give the venue a smaller count of guests...not by much, but e.g. instead of 100 RSVPed guests, we tell the venue, that we have 96 guests...and if the other 4 guests do really show up, we let the venue know the day of the wedding... what do you think? How do you handle that? Thanks!

bpphoto785 · January 2012

We have to give our venue a minimum two weeks before the wedding. Come hell or high water this is the minimum number of meals we will have to pay for, so we're going to give them a low number. Then we'll give them a final number closer to the event.

If you're really worried about it I don't see a problem with adding an extra couple or two a couple of days before the wedding. I would think that 10 no-shows is unusual.

SunshineShades · January 2012

I think that you just have to lose the money. What happens if everyone who RSVPed does show up? If you had 100 RSVP and tell the venue 96..... will you have food for those 4 that show up? a table? chairs?
I get how much it would suck that you would lose the money, but I think better that then potentially not having the food for your guests.

Melissa51212 · January 2012

I heard of people not having chairs or food for people so I would not say any less...unforturenlty things come up and you have to just accept the fact that you may lose some money....my friends wedding last min my fis boss told him if he didn't come in he would be fired....I called my friend sobbing because I knew she put the money out but she was so understanding already knowing things like this would come up.

krizzo17 · January 2012

What does your contract say? Mine says we have to give a minimum count a week before, but we can add people up until 24 hours before. So we might say 95 the week before, then at the rehearsal let them know it's actually 100.

tdmaus · January 2012

Thanks ladies! We'll give the venue the correct amount of guests , so there wont be any issues at the reception... funny thing is: just read a post on project wedding on the same topic and some brides actually had a lot of people not showing up.. one wrote 40 guests were no-shows, another wrote 140 rsvp but only 115 showed... let's hope it doesnt happen to any of us...

norweigan · January 2012

I know you've already made your mind up, but just wanted to say I had a friend who had 4 people show up who weren't even invited (people bringing guests they weren't alloted and didn't rsvp for basically) so it is always good to be safe and just give them the number who rsvp. That way, even if people don't show up who did rsvp, you have backup in case you get some surprises...

comeongetdown · January 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_may-2012-weddings_xp-shows-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:f0ca0bc1-9255-4120-8042-b40e7f3e99c5Discussion:cdd5ad1c-8124-4abf-84bd-6016f6d474caPost:76d0da48-2590-4cfa-840f-e35893e0da66">Re: XP: No-shows at reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]I know you've already made your mind up, but just wanted to say I had a friend who had 4 people show up who weren't even invited (people bringing guests they weren't alloted and didn't rsvp for basically) so it is always good to be safe and just give them the number who rsvp. That way, even if people don't show up who did rsvp, you have backup in case you get some surprises...
Posted by norweigan[/QUOTE]

that's what i'm afraid of happening...

toothpastechica · January 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_may-2012-weddings_xp-shows-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:f0ca0bc1-9255-4120-8042-b40e7f3e99c5Discussion:cdd5ad1c-8124-4abf-84bd-6016f6d474caPost:2e8b3a76-73ad-43e5-b330-9b342ecda568">Re: XP: No-shows at reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks ladies! We'll give the venue the correct amount of guests , so there wont be any issues at the reception... funny thing is: just read a post on project wedding on the same topic and <strong>some brides actually had a lot of people not showing up.. one wrote 40 guests were no-shows, another wrote 140 rsvp but only 115 showed... let's hope it doesnt happen to any of us...
</strong>Posted by tdmaus[/QUOTE]

LOL...i HOPE this happens to us! The church we are getting married in is super small and the largest event they have every held was 125ppl without chairs, they said it was ok. We have 128 on our guest list right now and are PRAYING that 10+ don't show up, we have figured out how to make it work if everyone does, but it would be a better experience for all if some dont!!! Changing the church isnt an option since we are getting married A) in the church my parents got married in, B) its my grandparents church and they both died within the last couple years and its a way to kind of honor them without making it obvious to people outside the family, and C.) its the only church in the town we are getting married in. We cant cut guests because we have already cut it to the bare minimum without saying immidiate family only...as it is its only out as far as first cousins who i have grown up with them all and the only friends who are coming are in the wedding party. So if you do a favor and hope your guests show up and some of mine dont ;) hahahhaha sorry that was so long, its not that theres anyone i dont want there (or i wouldnt have invited them), but it would be easier for us if someone cant make it!

AurorasEnvy · January 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_may-2012-weddings_xp-shows-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:f0ca0bc1-9255-4120-8042-b40e7f3e99c5Discussion:cdd5ad1c-8124-4abf-84bd-6016f6d474caPost:cab8cc0b-f5fd-45b3-b9f3-671e3dc422f9">Re: XP: No-shows at reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: XP: No-shows at reception? : that's what i'm afraid of happening...
Posted by comeongetdown[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>Extra guests? Yep, people will feel reaaaaaaaal stupid when their date has no chair (assigned tables/escort cards) and no meal. Anyone who should have a plus one has one...but anyone above and beyond that will be on their own!

</div>

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