I think I'm losing my mind, so just be aware that it's entirely possible I'll start talking/writing like a a loon. With less than three weeks to go, a minor list of to-do's, an incredibly packed work schedule, an even more packed personal schedule that doesn't really lend itself to food, water and/or sleep, I'm just going to exist in a permanent state of delusion. That's okay, though, because it will all be so worth it. :) I just wanted to give fair warning to all.
Anyway, Hive, it's here: the Palm Tree RSVP Breakdown. I've always loved these posts from other Bees and the Type A nerd in me loves to see things categorized so neatly.
We invited 226 people (93 invitations), in hopes that about 200 would show. Our total guest count is 186.
We were a little surprised at the amount of 'no' RSVP's, but surprised in a good way. Mr. Palm Tree's family is HUGE on both sides and we had to be fairly strict - for us. Sending out 213 invites (excluding the bridal party) might not seem strict to some, but we definitely hurt a few feelings and caused a few waves. It was necessary, though, and we are pleased with both our decisions and our outcome.
Of all the kids that are in the family, having a total of 11 is fairly unexpected - but I'm not complaining. This total includes our flower girls, as well, so I think it'll be a nice addition but not one that will cause widespread headaches and eye rollage. Bonus: the 5 and under guests are free and the 6-12 guests are half-priced. Wedding WIN.
Sigh. Inevitably the most frustrating part of wedding planning. If you're anything like me, you might be thinking, "pft, this won't be a problem. Maybe like three people won't respond and I know who those are." SIKE. This was a relatively decent sized problem, Hive, as you can see here. Out of the 169 invitations we sent out, excluding the bridal party, we received 127 responses (some of which were late, but at least they were sent). I know that three of these were lost in the mail for sure, but even if we give more folks the benefit of the doubt and up that to, say, ten - that's still THIRTY TWO people that did not respond. Absurd. Mr. Palm Tree's mother was a freaking lifesaver, though, and helped me hunt down most of the people who were MIA. There are still four people who have not responded at all. Two of which are distantish relatives on my side that I haven't seen or spoken to in years, but invited because it was the right thing to do and two were invites we extended at the request of Mr. Palm Tree's dad, also in the 'right thing to do' category. Although I still think it's a little rude and definitely confusing that these folks haven't responded at all, at least it's 'distant' people and not people close to us or anything of that nature. Besides, four people (or 2%) is really not a big deal when you look at the grand scheme of things.
Of the 175 (excluding, once again, the bridal party and the vendors) invited, this is how the friends and family groups breakdown. When compiling these numbers, I noticed that a lot of the people I categorized as 'my' friends are absolutely our shared friends. After being together for almost a decade, we've definitely created a pretty solid friendship circle that can definitely be viewed as OUR friendship circle. Friend B, who is reading during our ceremony, for instance, is absolutely a shared friend. I might be closer to her, but she and Mr. Palm Tree have a relationship on their own as well; he's not just her friend's significant other, if that makes sense. However, the people marked as Mr. Palm Tree's friends (save for one person), are staunchly his friends. Sure, I know them (impossible not to, at this point) and we've all hung out, but I am definitely their friend's significant other.
The families balance out a little better and have much more clear-cut lines, obviously. Coming from such a big family myself, I was a little surprised that the total was only thirty people, but it makes sense considering all the drama. These are the people that I've made an effort to be close with, especially as an adult, and who have extended the same effort toward me. I've always said that my friends are my family and this pie chart definitely depicts that. Mr. Palm Tree's family is just freaking giant, there's no way around it. ;)
For the sake of fun, I've saved some of the creative RSVP responses that I always knew would make it into this post. Feast your eyes on these hilarious and heartwarming creations:
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| A creative rendition of our address labels with Mr. Palm Tree's drawing - it's us on the beach, according to Friend B. :) |
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| The top right one is from our best man, who sent me a text after he placed it in the mail: "I just realized. . .were those two lines for my name? If so, I did it wrong." |
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| Hilarious tricksters. . . |
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| The left one is from the friend on Mr. Palm Tree's side that I mentioned I'd also consider one of my friends, the right is from his mother and step-father. |
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