How many guests do you think cover their plates in gifts?
bethsiar
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How many guests do you think cover their plates in gifts?
FSIL is trying to figure out how she is going to pay for school loans, car loans and now the wedding. She asked me if she could make the budget with the plan that people will essentially pay for the reception themselves. The plate charge will be around 100. Do you think this is a reasonable assumption or insane?
nsgraham
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Re: How many guests do you think cover their plates in gifts?
No, you really can't budget that way. People will give you money, but some won't and some can't. also some will give you gifts instead. I consider putting that little 'give me money instead' card in the invites, but both MILs ruled it out as tacky, and when I really thought about it, I thought so as well. the idea is that you're inviting people for the pleasure of their company, not for how much money or how big a gift they'll give you.
JMO, Nadine
BMD'sPeanut
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Insane.
KarenB
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I think that is reasonable, for guests who know prices of LI weddings. That is an average price. My plate is over that and I'd be happy if I got $100 for each guest. Having said that, I do not think people are obligated to pay for the plate. And I don't think it is good to depend on anything.
BMD'sPeanut
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Karen, you're getting married at the swan club and youre paying over a 100 a head? i got quoted 55.00 a head there.
ChristineC68
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There's so much more that goes into wedding expenses besides the plate cost.
I don't know if we averaged $100 per person when I consider no shows/no gifters (a bounced check) and take off my mother & sister's gifts that were overly generous.
It's risky to spend money she doesn't have and would be less stressed if she didn't count on all the gifts when calculating her budget.
KarenB
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Re: How many guests do you think cover their plates in gifts?
Ciminok: I am getting married in May which is one of the more expensive months. It is also a Saturday night wedding and we did some upgrades. I sure hope you didn't get quoted $55 for that or I'll faint.
xjulietx
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Re: How many guests do you think cover their plates in gifts?
If your friend desperately needs to budget that way, I would say she could count on half of her guests paying their plates and some others may give more or less.
I agree that if the people are from Long Island and are familiar with the way we do weddings, they will cover themselves.
August2004
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Re: How many guests do you think cover their plates in gifts?
I don't think many people cover their plates at all. Our wedding is over 100 a plate(which seems to be average for Long Island these days) and I am not expecting people to cover their plate, though it would be nice if they did. I don't think that most people really understand how much their plate costs at a wedding. I would not invite people based on the thought that they may cover their plate. If I was concerned with that, I would haev my reception at a less expensive place. They are out there and I am sure they do a beautiful presentation for the reception.
Joedi 3
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It is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to have the guests cover the cost of the wedding with their gifts. ESPECIALLY AT $100 PER PLATE. 100 per person, plus 18% service charge, plus8.5% tax, and your at 126 per person, 252 per couple, and now they are sitting in a catering hall with no band/dj, flowers, pictures, limos...... sorry to be so cut and dry, but that is the reality of $100 per plate wedding.Even at $50-$75 per head, it is a strecth. they might cover there plate, but not your costs.
lorimari
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Re: How many guests do you think cover their plates in gifts?
From experience some people will stiff you (we had one couple stiff us), some wil be cheap even if they are familiar w/ LI weddings and some wil blow you away with their generosity.
You do not make money on a wedding if you pay for it yourself. Beth - she needs to sit dowm and figure out what she can afford so she isn't stuck opening envelopes that night to pay people and tip her vendors.
There is no way to predict who will give what as a gift - she needs to rethink how she is paying for the wedding. She can put it off a few months and have a late fall/winter wedding which is cheaper - offer to pay cash and maybe some vendors will let her slide on tax.
I wish her luck.
ChristineC68
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Posted by Joedi 3
It is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to have the guests cover the cost of the wedding with their gifts. ESPECIALLY AT $100 PER PLATE. 100 per person, plus 18% service charge, plus8.5% tax, and your at 126 per person, 252 per couple, and now they are sitting in a catering hall with no band/dj, flowers, pictures, limos...... sorry to be so cut and dry, but that is the reality of $100 per plate wedding.Even at $50-$75 per head, it is a strecth. they might cover there plate, but not your costs.
Actually, including all this stuff I think our wedding averaged $250 per person.
KarenB
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I also wanted to add you should plan your wedding for what you want w/out thinking people will cover the plate. I think $100 per person gift is an average gift that I would give to anyone. More if I am close to them. I'd also like to say I base my gifts on who is getting married, not where. If someone is lucky enough to have a wedding somewhere super expensive I do not think I have to up the ante to suit their taste & budget. Nor do I think if someone can afford to give me $50 per person that that is bad. I think people should give according to their budget. What irks me is those who have it and give cheapie gifts, in my opinion under $100 pp.
larryswife2be
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I wish I could get back the cost of everyone's plate, but I know that is not going to happen.
AtticaQT
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Ours is $100 a plate and to a certain degree we are kinda expecting to get the plate covered (from what i know from my cousins weddings) ...but not to pay for the whole wedding...A if you average it all out with $100 as the norm and then those that give less and more - you may get the plates covered...definitely not the wedding though....
Nora101004
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I don't think it is reasonable at all, and if she is so tight for money, why is she having it at a place that charges so much? There are plenty of nice, less expensive places that might fit her budget better. (jmo)
bethsiar
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Re: How many guests do you think cover their plates in gifts?
Maybe I wasn't clear, but thanks for your responses!
I meant paying for the reception meaning the actual catering cost. With the flowers and music etc, being on top of it.
Just purely speaking from plate charge point of view. It sounds like for the most part, at weddings u can usually expect about 100. a person.
Misstene
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My mother has always said, have a wedding for you, and no one else. And for that reason, you have to be prepared to spend what you want to spend on it. Although we all are (lets be honest) we really shouldn't concern ourselves with what we'll 'get back'. You will never make more than your wedding is worth. At the end of the day, you want to be able to look back in 10 years, and have great memories!
Good Luck!
MarcellaBella
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Re: How many guests do you think cover their plates in gifts?
Posted by bethsiar
FSIL is trying to figure out how she is going to pay for school loans, car loans and now the wedding. She asked me if she could make the budget with the plan that people will essentially pay for the reception themselves. The plate charge will be around 100. Do you think this is a reasonable assumption or insane?
It TOTALLY depends.. In my case, we didn't even come close..not even 1/4 of what we spent.. not even close.
Then there are some people I know who got married at an off peak time, at a nice place, and got like 2x what they paid.
I don't think it's wise to plan your wedding around it. Spend what you can afford, make compromises and prioritize what you means most to you..
BriBri529
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From my experience with things, you normally will make back 75% of what you spent, but NEVER 100%- (and don't forget- not everyone gives money!!! some people do give gifts or gift certificates!!!)
