Can You Budget for Fewer Guests than You Invited?
Every party has its share of no-shows, and the same will be true of your wedding. Even though it’s the most wonderful day of your life, there will always be guests who, despite good intentions, simply can’t make it. When you’re planning your reception, you should assume that 10-20% of your friends and loved ones will RSVP “no.” However, before you slash the same amount of money from your budget, you need to factor in some considerations.
Most important, never under-plan: If you’ve sent out 100 invitations, be prepared to serve 100 guests. Although highly unlikely, there is a chance that all your invited guests will attend. Not having enough food for your guests is the last glitch you want to worry about on your big day.
More than likely, however, the guest count will fill up in different ways. If you’ve included a B-List of friends to invite, they’re going to make up the difference. Another probable scenario is unexpected “guests” showing up at the last-minute. These are the friends who, despite your “no children” rule, bring along three toddlers without letting you know, or the single guy who brings a date even though his invitation didn’t say “plus one.” Then, of course, there are always the few who show up even though they didn’t RSVP, or who do so at the last minute.
Should you encounter any of these situations ahead of time, you can deal with their requests properly. On the day of your wedding, there’s not a whole lot you can do besides smile and try not to let it bother you. If you’ve added extra people into your reception budget, you don’t have to go into panic mode.
As a rule, the guests who RSVP soon, and who are very close to you, will show up on the wedding day. If your affair is small, with, say, 50 guests, and the guests live nearby, expect almost all of them to show up. Most who can’t will tell you up front. No matter what size of wedding you’re having, always be prepared to go over your reception budget. Sometimes, aunts and uncles you never dreamed would come to your wedding RSVP “yes.” You need to make sure you know their answer before you give the caterers the final guest count.
If you’re bothered about the extra money you’re paying for food, take a load off your mind by donating the leftovers to a homeless shelter, something that you can arrange through your caterer or by contacting your house of worship ahead of time. It’s a wonderful way of giving back on a day in which you’ve been heavenly blessed.
-David Toussaint
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