Getting Guest Count

[Gwyn]

I have run into a serious dilema when trying to chose a venue. I cannot get an accurate guest count.

My issue is that I have a very large family, however, I am getting married across the country. I would love for whomever could make it to do so but that could be anywhere between 10 and 100!

This issue is making it almost impossible to pick a venue.

If I chose a small place and people chose to come, then it will be crowded, on the other hand, If I chose a very large place and noone can make it out then I will be screwed out of lots of money.

Is there anyway polite way to ask if people can /will attend the wedding so I can plan better? Maybe word of mouth?

My only other option is to pick a place with a bunch of halls and then, when I get RSVPs back, select a ballroom. The only issue is that I really dont want an indoor wedding I want a patio.

Another option is just to plan on a smaller group and Just invite them and, if they decline, invite others (kind of like a second wave of invites). Of course that is pretty hard since my family is very close and people would definitely find out if they were in the second wave.

 

[RoseAngel04]

Perhaps your Mom and FMIL could help you in guessing at which family members or friends would make to cross country trip....if not then yes, I would ask around to see who would plan to travel for the wedding and go from there.

Hope this helps!

 

[griffitk]

We had the same problem when we were choosing a venue. Our guest estimates ranged from 80-140. We actually invited 165 and got 95, but it was an interesting dilemma.

My mom did send and email to her cousins before we sent the save-the-date cards letting them know we were intending to invite them, but were trying to get an idea of the guest count before we booked a venue. We didn''t ask them to give us a yes or no, but instead a percent likelihood of them attending. No one was offended and it helped a lot since she has a bunch of cousins she wanted to invite.

We only did this for family we were close to, though. It would have been weird for us to do the same with people like my boss or less close family.