Strangers from the Internet save weddings. Who are “last minute guests”?

– My friends who have already had a wedding warned me that at least 30% of them would not come. invited guests. We took this “margin of error” into account and booked a room for 100 guests, even though we invited 140 people. I didn’t think that in the end, as many as 50 people wouldn’t confirm their attendance. And unfortunately, not everyone declared themselves on the date we set. It’s sad that adults, family, don’t have the courage to call and say that they won’t come – they postpone it until the last minute, says Iwona, who organized a wedding near Konin in June.

Last minute wedding guests

Fortunately, some of the guests announced their absence well in advance, so they were able to cancel their “plates”. Despite everything, ten days before the event they still had 10 more paid seats than confirmed guests. The wedding hall charges PLN 250 per person. The financial loss would be significant for Iwona and her husband, and they were also afraid that so many empty chairs would be conspicuous. Of course, they could have planned such a scenario and rented a smaller room, but they wanted this specific one – and it accepts orders for parties for at least 100 guests.

Facebook came to their rescue.

– I found out about a group through which you can invite strangers to your wedding. I wasn’t convinced, because it’s a party for family and friends, so how can you bring a complete stranger to it? However, I read the comments of people who decided to have “last minute” guests and I thought why not. In the worst case, a brother or cousin will simply have to take the drunk person out of the room – continues Iwona.

Two weeks before the wedding, she posted a short ad in which she wrote only that a couple of 30-year-olds were looking for five couples for the wedding, gave the date and location, and just two days later she had 15 private messages in her inbox, the authors of which argued that they would be perfect guests. 10 people also commented on the post.

– It’s funny, but people were actually bidding! – Iwona laughs.

Why do people want to party at strangers’ weddings?

“Are you still looking for a wedding couple? My husband and I recommend each other. We’re partying until dawn!” – wrote a girl from the Łódź Voivodeship. Someone else argued that he could show recommendations because he had already been to five weddings in the group. And in fact, the group also has a recommendations section. “We would like to thank you very much for the invitation, I met wonderful people. We are a team for special tasks. If you have a problem with guests, we’ll drop by. Ania and Patryk, Kamila and Patryk, me and Paweł,” wrote Mrs. Katarzyna, who also boasted that she had caught a bouquet at one of the weddings, so she may soon be looking for “last minute guests” herself.

Iwona chose five couples that seemed the most nice to her. The guests commented: they brought envelopes, they had a good time, they didn’t drink too much. They sat at one table to make it more lively. Iwona and her husband even keep in touch with one of the couples because they live nearby and have found a common language.

– I once saw a mural on the Internet with a mocking slogan: “Don’t talk to strangers, or you’ll meet someone else.” And it’s true: you can stew in your own sauce, but why, when there are so many people around you with whom you can do something cool? – sums up Iwona.

Because they like to dance, because they want to get to know the local wedding halls…

And now on the other hand: why do guests want to “crash” a stranger’s wedding? There are several reasons. Some people really like weddings, and since there is no party planned in the family, they are willing to pay just to have fun. A large group of “last minute guests” are also future spouses who would like to attend several parties to know what works best. Magda, who wanted to get married in Białystok or the surrounding area, attended receptions in three different wedding halls during the year, so she could make her own private ranking. She looked, tried the food and reserved the one she felt best in. It cost her and her future husband PLN 1,500, because they agreed that they would put PLN 250 per person in the envelope.

Wedding envelope. To give or not to give?

Opinions are divided as to whether “last minute guests” should donate money or whether mere presence is enough. “If I were inviting a last-minute guest, I wouldn’t expect any gift, just to have fun and not to waste the food,” wrote one of the Internet users. Jowita sees it the same way, admitting that she invited several people from the group to her wedding and “she only wanted to fill the places that would otherwise be wasted.” – This group was not created to pay for their place, but to avoid wasting food for which the bride and groom have to pay anyway. A card and wine, maybe scratch cards or lotto will be enough, she wrote.

Ewa does not agree with them. “If I decided to be a last minute guest, I couldn’t imagine coming to the wedding with only flowers, wine or a small amount of money. After all, the bride and groom paid for it, so I see no reason for them to waste money on me. And if I can’t afford it, I refuse,” he says.

To avoid misunderstandings, some couples write directly in their advertisements how much a “plate” costs, which tells potential guests that it would be nice if they put this amount in the envelope.

The group also includes advertisements regarding the search for witnesses and participants of hen parties (“I organized a party for two friends. I will come to your city and organize such a hen party that you will blush for the rest of your life just thinking about it” – a woman seasoned in pre-wedding battles encourages her services). from Pomerania), beginner DJs and photographers who want to build a portfolio present their offers.