Numbers being an issue!

[Jary]

Ok so we have decided on a venue; in our budget and we absolutely love it. We've reserved the date and want to book it properly this weekend.

The problem we have is that we can invite a maximum of 52 guests but we have 56. Chances are we will be fine as some people won't be able to come (it's on a Friday in March before the Easter holidays so school children on our list should be in school and I have two uncles working in Australia who only get a months notice of the time they can come back to the UK to visit family). However we can't really take that chance and assume they can't come.

Would it be rude if we explained to friends that although we'd love the children to be there, we don't have the space? I also don't really want to say no to my cousins (5&8) who will be coming down from up north when I've invited my dad because my mums side of the family hate him and I think they might be offended if I said he and his partner could come but not my cousins.

We don't know what to do. All venues with our budget seem to only take 50 guests so it's not just our venue. Plus we want to be married next year because my OHs brother and my friend (his wife) plan on going to live in japan for two years in the September of 2014.

We just don't want to offend anybody. We can have as many guests as we want for the evening reception, it's just the ceremony and the breakfast that's an issue.

On the plus side we are making our own invites and favours which works out so much cheaper! And I also have my wedding dress (70% off in the sale!)

Any ideas? I had thought of asking the venue if they would let us have a little table in the bar area for the children with a guest minding them but I don't know if they'd let us. Can't hurt to ask tho, right??

 

[emyandpotato]

I'd just take a chance on people not showing.

 

[MellyH]

Is there any chance you could do a two-tier invite system? Invite the people you think are less likely to come ASAP, and maybe bump up their RSVP date? You can even hound them on the phone earlier if you want. Basically, get as many of the no's as soon as possible! And then you'll know that you can fit the rest in. I'm sure you will be fine.

 

[maryp0ppins]

Is there any chance you could do a two-tier invite system? Invite the people you think are less likely to come ASAP, and maybe bump up their RSVP date? You can even hound them on the phone earlier if you want. Basically, get as many of the no's as soon as possible! And then you'll know that you can fit the rest in. I'm sure you will be fine.

Im doing this. I am Canadian and oh is English. We are getting married in the UK and I am sending all invites to Canada earlier with a different rsvp date. OH didnt agree at first but I explained to him that if my friends from home come I can't exactly invite them to the evening only so I need to know for sure how many whole day invites we can send for local people.

 

[Jary]

Thanks or your replies!

Turns out it isn't an issue! The event planner lady said we would just have a little table outside of the main room, which is fine cause everybody gets to go then!

Now we just need to save like crazy!