% of guest list that rsvp's yes!

FunBride Posted: Sep 07, 2004 03:50 PM

% of guest list that rsvp's yes!

I've heard anywhere from 10% to 20% of your guest list will not show up.

My parents are (generously) throwing us a wedding for anywhere from 200-215 ppl. How many invites should we send out?

Keep in mind my FH wants/needs to invite about 120 guests!!! I am trying to limit guest list and amount of ppl. at wedding!

SandraLynn Posted: Sep 07, 2004 03:55 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

We had about 4 NOs that were unexpected, we got NOs from the people we knew would be NO, otherwise EVERYONE said YES, and I am overwhelmed by all the YES'!!! It got to be where I would come home and hope we got NOs!!!! Can you believe that!!?? We sent out some invites to people to do the right thing, and it came back YES...My mother's friend in St. Croix is coming to Long Island for our wedding, I was sure that was a NO!!!! You just never know!!! There was someone who WANTED to come to our wedding, I sent him an invite, and he responded NO, I thought 'what is that all about, he asked for the invitation'.....ya never know!

september2004 Posted: Sep 07, 2004 03:58 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

our approach was this:

guarantee = 80
target = 100
willing to pay for = 125

actual = 101 (plus 9 vendors)

numbers depend on a lot of things. generally speaking i would say the %age of no's increases as the # of people you invite increase and the # of OOTers increase.

'officially' we invited ~180, but we knew the overseas crowd would not make it, so we really started out with 140 or so. 1/2 our guest list is OOT, the other 1/2 is tri-state local. after sending out save-the-dates we got an idea of who was interested and would attempt to make the trip. we were pretty on target with our assessment...

randella Posted: Sep 07, 2004 03:59 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

I posted this a couple of weeks ago with a poll.. Basically what everyone told me was b/t 20 to 30%. Also, my friend is an event planner and this is how they usually plan.

I have a minimum of 210. We are hoping for no more than 215. Our goal was to get the list down to 260. We are currently at 267.

tourist Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:00 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

I think we have about 89% yes, plus some people are bringing dates.

I don't think we'd get a lot of no's b/c we only invited close friends & family for the most part.
I'm surpised by all the singles bringing dates though.

FunBride Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:00 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

silly question - but is guarantee our minimum?

our min. is 200,
willing to pay for 215.

do you think we'd be okay if we sent out 240? i know FMIL needs to invite 50 but expects 20...

FunBride Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:02 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

the 20-30% seems high - but i would LOVe to think that's true!!!!

The whole single bringing guests thing, in my opinion, is BS. if they are invited with a guest that's one thing - but ASKING to bring a guest, i think, is plain rude!

randella Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:05 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

Posted by Ariele

the 20-30% seems high - but i would LOVe to think that's true!!!!

The whole single bringing guests thing, in my opinion, is BS. if they are invited with a guest that's one thing - but ASKING to bring a guest, i think, is plain rude!

uh.. yes it is!! We are only invited my single friends with guests.. FH's friends are all from the same place- sleepaway camp and they all know each other very well. My friends are more from diff. groups.. so, I felt they needed a buddy. THis was one way to cut down on a couple of peeps.

We are really planning for 20% not to show up. But, we have a lot of old people who are out of town.. I also have had a couple of friends who since we made our list- decided to move out of NYC.. so, not sure if they would make a cross-country trip to come--

FunBride Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:11 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

Quite simply put - guest list is by far THE most stressful part of planning this wedding! All the uncertainty, and the managing so many different people's opinions........UGH!!

tourist Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:13 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

Posted by Ariele

the 20-30% seems high - but i would LOVe to think that's true!!!!

The whole single bringing guests thing, in my opinion, is BS. if they are invited with a guest that's one thing - but ASKING to bring a guest, i think, is plain rude!

Mine were invited to bring a guest- I jsut didn't think most of them wold, b/c they aren't dating anyone & all the single people are friends with each other.

So if you count 'and guests' I think we invited 107 , other wise we had 96, and I think we have 86 yeses, but I still have a few verbal maybes who haven't sent back their cards!

nylisa Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:14 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

We invited 256, having 172 (that includes 5 vendors) and we had to guarantee 175.

september2004 Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:14 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

Posted by Ariele

Quite simply put - guest list is by far THE most stressful part of planning this wedding! All the uncertainty, and the managing so many different people's opinions........UGH!!

ummmm, wait til you get to the seating arrangements

FunBride Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:17 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

NYLISA - you are guest list magician!!! how did you get to invite 256 and have 172! i would be the HAPPIEST PERSON IN THE FACE OF THE PLANET if i got those returns....

....and I might. My FH is from a small town in Ohio where I don't think a lot of his friends will be able to afford to make the trek to NYC.......

randella Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:17 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

Posted by september2004

Posted by Ariele

Quite simply put - guest list is by far THE most stressful part of planning this wedding! All the uncertainty, and the managing so many different people's opinions........UGH!!

ummmm, wait til you get to the seating arrangements

Yeah- guest list was relatively easy for me- I am SO WORRIED about those damn tables!

nylisa Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:18 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

Posted by Ariele

NYLISA - you are guest list magician!!! how did you get to invite 256 and have 172! i would be the HAPPIEST PERSON IN THE FACE OF THE PLANET if i got those returns....

....and I might. My FH is from a small town in Ohio where I don't think a lot of his friends will be able to afford to make the trek to NYC.......

Thanks but I should of had more people but that seems to be a very busy weekend for alot of people who were invited to my wedding.

FunBride Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:19 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

Great! more fun stuff to look forward to! what's the big deal about tables???

note * i will save this message so i can look back on it 8 mos. from now and lauugh myself to hysterics...

Sweetness Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:20 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

20-30% is def an ok number, depends on alot of factors, guests, OOT, weather etc.

We invited 226 I am missing 30 responses (RSVP date is 9/8) but right now I have my minimum, 125 are coming.

mcaula Posted: Sep 07, 2004 04:29 PM

Re: % of guest list that rsvp's yes!

ok our miniuim is at 175 we are up to 225 people we have to cut the list down to 200 in order for my parents to pay for it. I thnk me and FH are gonna have to pay for the extra people if they RSVP which I hope they don't.