Wedding Resources - What should I do about wedding crashers?

What should I do about wedding crashers?

I'm having 150 guests to my wedding (dates of single guests are factored into this number) and I'm concerned about wedding crashers (about 5-10) who are notorious for inviting themselves. What should I do if they show up? I can't control my guests and I believe the security breach will occur among a few of them. What should I say to these guests? I want to invite them and one date but some of them only travel with an entourage.

Public Comments

Tell them they can only bring one guest. Keep a "bouncer" at the door to enforce that rule.
Have the reception venue take care of security (ie. list at the door)
These people have no class!! Dont feed them and make them pay for their own drinks!!
Be flattered they want to come.
You make it clear that you're on a budget and it is an invite only occasion. You can find a nice way to say it like "Yeah we're spending so much on this wedding, the facility will charge us more if more people than expected show up, so we certainly hope no crashers come". Or you could give the facility a heads up, and if these people show up, they need to be told to leave. Sounds harsh but that is an extremely rude thing for people to do...especially if you give them fair warning and they still show up?! Man they'd deserve the embarrassment.
Have a guest list and have someone at the door with the guest list to mark people down. Check IDs too.
If they shcow up to the ceremony it shouldn't be that big of a deal as far as costing you extra... but for the Reception - it might help to do assigned seating. Then there won't be a seat for the crashers. If they want to stay, they can figure out who they need to PAY for their meal and added seat.
In my experience the crashers come after dinner. Just let them in if they are friends of yours. Chances are all your RSVP "yes" people won't show, you know that, right? Just relax and enjoy, and only "bounce" any **real** trouble makers.
When you send out the invites make sure that they state ONLY the invitee's may attend. That anyone not on the list will not be allowed to attend. My sis had a wedding recently and she had some of her hubbies buddies, who incedentally were large and didnt really know other people, stand at the door and bounce, people who they were told were expected to attept to crash. A few people were expected to come possibly dressed informally and they were also told to dress up, or not enter. Believe me, this is the ONE occasion its okay to be an ass about people who arent invited to get the hell out. Seriously you will remember this day forever, do you really want it spoiled by them lot?
I would get someone to bounce at the main entrance. I would also try spreading the word that there is limited capacity/seating at the venue. I've never heard of people actually inviting themselves to a wedding. That is crazy to me. But good luck!
Set up an extra table. Dont pay for an extra center piece as you know they werent invited and they know also. Especially if they are rude enough to show up without a gift. You cant turn people away and you will be way too busy to monitor the situation. Just embrace that this may occur and set up an extra table. Tell your venue you may need extra dishes so they have them on hand but tell them you aren't sure and if they show you will pay extra of course but there no way of telling. Sit all the crashers together at the last table. Dont try and mix them up with other guests as you dont know if they will show and that can screw up your table arrangement. Dont feel bad about them its a rude practice. Just have agreat day but be prepared. Good luck!
First of all you should always have a security guard at your wedding and 2nd its your wedding and you do what you want if you don't want them there then you don't have to.. maybe you should get a stamp and a name list for the guards or someone to be at the door that you trust..good luck
If you have a good reception venue, they should take care of this without you having to "keep watch." Even though guests usually pick up there seating place cards, you can have the employees at your venue check your guests off from a master list you created. Tell them that if the guest(s) are not on the list, they don't get it. If they have any questions they can feel free to come and get either yourself or your husband to clarify any concerns. And just to make sure these guests and you are on the same page, make sure you tell them specifically that they and the one guest they decide to bring are invited AND THAT'S IT. Most people understand the rule for weddings.
Easiest thing in the world. What you do is hire a Teenage Paint Ball Sniper Task Force for Weddings. Strategically place them. Two on the roof tops, two behind the hedges, one in a man hole, and one behind a statue at the funeral home across the street. Give them each pictures of the targets, a communicator, and a Big Gulp to keep sugar levels in balance. You have to make sure to alert all the other guests as to what will happen. If anything, it will serve to amp up their own feelings of importance and being wanted. Last time I checked, Teenage Paintball Sniper Task Force for Weddings will oftentimes work pro bono as advertisement for future gigs. The only catch is that you have to provide the task force with transportation. Also, as soon as the 5-10 crashers are liquidated you must usher the task force away as soon as possible. When they see all the hot chicks coming in they can easily lose focus and become wedding crashers themselves. I hope that helps man.
Talk to the ones who would bring other guests, explaining that it's not an open house. Be specific on the RSVP cards, giving them the option of one or two attending. If they have to specify the number of people coming to just 1-2 people, they should get the hint that that's the number of people invited. Have them bring their invitations with them and get someone to stand at the door. Those who cannot produce an invite don't get in. The security wouldn't let 5 people enter on one invitation.
If you're that worried hire someone to keep watch at the entrance to the reception. Also would it be too much to talk to the ones who have an entourage and make it clear they can only bring one guest (and not all of their friends)?
the invitation is to the person and guest . mr. john smith and guest ms. sara smith and guest this does not mean bring your chums and/or your family i do not agree you need a bouncer ... most people do not come to ceremony at wedding and only come to reception . at reception .. you can assign seats or ifyou are paying for a buffet ... there is always more food than is needed . if you are paying for 100 people you order food for 90 and have enough to feed 110. a buffet rather than preplated might help on the budget side . one extra table is usually not a big deal to prepare for at a wedding . actual count is usually not as high as most bridges anticpate , even when people rsvp sometimes do not show. i wouldn't stress about it . i do not understand why anyone wants to crash a wedding . but i once met a woman at a pool and she told me she did this about 50 times in her life. i thought she neeeded psych help but did not tell her this .lol.
If the venue doesn't offer security, discuss the matter with the suspected offenders beforehand. Have table assignments. The crashers will stick out like a sore thumb.
Stab 'em.
you may not believe this but most people have the opposite problem where they invite people who dont show. just have an extra table and if they come, welcome them. seriously. you have a wonderful problem of too many friends. and their friends. for the extra 10 people to pay for over the course of your life, the cost is like an extra nickel. the memory you will have of all these people there for you will be more valuable than an uncomfortable situation where you are not letting people in, obviously these people are known to you, so, just flow with it. some people like you simply have a lot of friends. and that is the tradition amoung all of you. it is actually a good thing.
Etiquette to the rescue! If you haven't issued invitation yet, you can avoid this problem. You do the proper thing and invite everyone, even children, by name. (It is an evil myth perpetuated by The Wedding Industry that ANY invitation should every include the words "and guest.") If you wish, you may ask some of your guests "Is there someone special you'd like for me to invite?" If the answer is yes, you get that special someone's name and send him/her an invitation with his/her name on it. Of course, engaged and married couples are always invited jointly. But there is no requirement that single guests be permitted to bring guests of their own; it is perfectly correct to welcome ONLY those people whom YOU have chosen to welcome. Even if you have to write 150 of them by hand, enclose a short note in each invitation advising each guest to bring it, along with picture ID, to the reception as the venue has very strict security. How far you want to go toward making this "strict security" BS into a true fact is up to you, but a uniformed guard is probably cheaper than 5-10 swine gobbling canapes and guzzling champagne.