final head count question?

do i give the hall my true number or like 5-10 less. What about no shows and people that show up surprisingly? i hate to pay for no shows, but i do want everyone to have a place- what to do?

Re: final head count question?

I was going to give my hall my true number of people coming but I don't have any 'what ifs' regarding guests....is this wrong?

Re: final head count question?

how many did you guarantee? I would low ball it too.

Re: final head count question?

Someone who works in catering told me to give a lower number for your final count to account for no shows. But I don't understand how to do this when you have to have tables set for people if they do show and have place cards made. How do you do this?

Re: final head count question?

i had to guarantee 100, and i have 114 coming. im not sure what to do

do i make placecards for everyone ( the hall counts these im sure) the i cant really fudge the numbers

what happens if uexpecteds show and some no show- do I give them the no shows placecards (a little shady and tacky)
i also have to give my hall a list of people coming should i leave some questionable guests out??

im confused

Re: final head count question?

I totally agree bridetobe, how do you do that? I only have to guarantee 100 and right now we have 129 people coming and that is pretty definite so when I go down to my reception on Thursday I was going to tell them 129. Anyone else think that this is wrong to do??

Re: final head count question?

This is what I did

I took a good look at my list and said to myself Who might pull a no show at the last minute, I came up with three names. Then I added a 2 more for last minute emergencies. I gave my MOH the seating cards and table assignments for 5 people (the 3 best guesses plus 2 other random guests).

The day of my MOH and one other BM had the task of finding out who was missing. This was actually easier than they thought because the few who could not make it at the last minute called someone (either my Mom, DH's Brother or my BM). My MOH & BM were able to easily work out the switches with the Banquet Mgr.

Re: final head count question?

exactly stacedz... My brother told the exact amount because he expected everyone to be definite...wound up he had 4 couples not show up. Some people had family emergencies and others that are just rude...how could he have accounted for that??? He had to pay for them but if he fudged the number and people showed where would he have seated them!

Re: final head count question?

I would def low ball it...

Re: final head count question?

Some people say to low ball your numbers. To make it work I suggest this: If you have 12-person tables seat only 10, leaving 2 for possible last minute cancel guests. Have a table card set prepared for them but do not give it to the hall. If the guest(s) do not cancel, call the hall the day before and tell them that you need to add a guest(s) to table #X. That should be simple enough. I, personally, would NOT have my BMs looking around for people during the cocktail hour to see who didn't show. But you could low-ball for possible last minute cancellations, not really no-shows.

Re: final head count question?

I think I'd rather have more than enough chairs than not enough. I don't think I am going to low ball, I KNOW the people who said no, aren't going to show up without me knowing and if there are people who don't show will be probably because of an emergency or something, that is fine with me.

Re: final head count question?

We had originally planned for 163 people. The hall told us to pay for 160 people, and just bring some extra cash the day of the wedding to pay for the three extras if they showed. We ended up with 155 showing, so we didn't have to worry. Maybe just use a round number, say if you have 129 guests, pay for 125 and bring the extra cash with you. You'd be surorised at the amount of people who call and say they can't come 2 days before the wedding.

Oh but wait, that's a whole separate vent. . . .

Re: final head count question?

All this low-balling stuff sounds too confusing. We gave the hall and exact count (we had to give them a table chart). We had 10 no-shows which is pretty high. I can't imagine trying to guess who wouldn't show up and then have the possibility that some people may not have seats.

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Just to clarify for Meg and anyone else - we did give the hall the exact number we had - so everyone had a seat and a placecard. They just told us to pay for less people because they know there are always a few no-shows.

Re: final head count question?

Vicki - I never heard of the hall letting you pay for fewer guests! You got lucky
My hall required final headcount and payment the Tuesday before the wedding so there was no way we could count in all the guests but pay for less. If that's possible, I'd definitely do it -

Re: final head count question?

I'm pretty sure I have to pay for 5% less than the number I am expecting and then the day of, pay the balance. So if people are no-shows and fall into that remaining 5% I don't lose money on them.

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This was a hard one for me. The week of the wedding we had quite a few people calling saying to take them off the list that they couldnt make it. Some were understandable reasons and others were ridiculous. It was so frustrating. We had two couples come last minute to fill some of the spots. Then the night of the wedding we had 5 no shows all together that we didnt know about. People are so so rude. It really makes you realize alot about the people in your life or were in your life

Re: final head count question?

I didn't low-ball the numbers...I had just met my minimum anyway, so whether or not people came I would have paid...

but halls DO NOT count place cards...

1. could you just imagine? having to count them?

2. also sometimes people give non-married guests 2 different place cards...or children different cards, etc...there are so many combinations...


the problem comes with the seating...

Re: final head count question?

wait....im confused!!! i have to do this next week too...do i lowball or not??

Re: final head count question?

I am not low-balling...I'd much rather too many seats that not enough for 'what ifs'...