numbers for evening do

We've just started to finalise our list for the evening reception and is more difficult than we thought number-wise! Thought there would be plenty room but when everyone is added up we're over our limit. I know we'll have to cut our numbers a bit, but I'm sure some of the people who we are definitely inviting won't all can make it so there will be room for others. My question is, how do you guess how many might not make it to the reception, and should we invite slightly over our maximum number allowed presuming that we'll get some people unable to go? Not sure if I want to do this in case everyone can make it and we end up with too many people! What has everyone else done about this? x

We are not getting married until 2011 so have not come across this problem yet.

What is the maximum number and how many people will you be over if you invite everyone?

I think the average for declines for the day is between 10% and 15% (according to the hotel where our friends got married - that's what they were told was average) and we had about that number decline. For evening, I think it varies wildly, but about 50% no-shows I think is not unusual. If all your guests are local you might get a better turn out but I think a lot of people on here have been surprised at how rubbish people are at turning up for an evening do.

Hi

We are slighty over the max for evening recpetion but have done this expecting about 15-20% not being able to make it. Our do is local though.

I wouldn't worry to much if you are slightly over? I dont think any couple would have had every single evening guest show on the night.

Hope this helps

Tinks x

have got it down to 20 over so that's not so bad, probably worrying unecessarily! definitely the hardest part of the wedding planning so far! thanks for you replies