what to do if guests don't RSVP but show up anyway????

Although it is a hassel, I would first try to contact your guests that didn't respond because people can procrastinate. If you still don't hear from them and they show up at the wedding, I would have the site coordinator kindly ask for them to pay for their meal. The same with children.

Calling everyone is a great idea. I did it with my friends that did not RSVP. One of them didn't receive her invite. Wow. Way to go mailing systems. CelticGirl had a great idea, and if you for some reason think that maybe extra guests will show up and you aren't that great at confronting, maybe a non-RSVP table would work. Have an extra table just in case. Place it where no one wants to really sit. (because your RSVPers come before your slacker guests). That way everyone is happy and you don't have to worry about it. I am having a non-RSVP table. It is back by the bathrooms.

I have a great idea. On the invitation, put only the name of the city, not the exact venue. Include instructions for the RSVP, to go online and fill out a doodle poll saying if they're coming or not and the number of people attending. At the end, when they finish the RSVP, they can the see the venue location, which can also be emailed to them if they say they are attending. That way, people who do not RSVP won't even know where to go. Now, about people coming with extra guests, you can do what another poster said, which is to have someone sit at the card table with guests' names and tell those who do not have a name card to sit at the bar/restaurant at the hotel during dinner and then join in afterward.

AR51 - AWESOME COMMENT!

Thanks for all these comments my wedding is 16 days away and our RSVP has long past and my fiance is mad because i firmly believe that if you don't RSVP you won't have a seat. His mom and family wants me to sit out an extra table but i said no way. I sent the rsvp card with the invites and i even put the stamp on there so all they had to do was fill it out and send it back..is that too much to ask for?

I think it's just rude to expect the person throwing the party to plan for more guests when there is a RSVP by date. If your having the reception at a hotel or having it professionally catered that's money you will never get back. Not to mention all the time you have put into making the favors. It's not that hard to send back an RSVP that already has a stamp on it.

My RSVP deadline is one day away and out of 150 invited guests, only 90 have RSVP's. It's pretty frustrating! Some of the people who have not RSVP'd include my bridesmaids! It's a simple task to ask your guests to RSVP so that you will have a head count. Now I have to make a list of people to call since they did not RSVP one way or the other. I think it is so rude to not respond because it causes extra work for the bride to do. Uuggggghhhhhh....

One day away from our RSVP deadline today. We had fifty percent of them received a week ago so we sent reminder emails and texts to those who hadn't responded. Many said they would mail by deadline. Others admitted their RSVP cards were lost and went ahead and rsvp'd by email or text. Now we are facing tomorrow's deadline with 80% received and hope it will be close to 90% by a couple days after deadline. Those people will be contacted again and given until the end of the week to reply and told that if we do not hear from them, they are welcome to attend wedding but obviously not the reception as the count for that it required to be strictly accurate by the firm deadline of the end of the week.

LOVE THIS!!! "2 seats have been reserved in your honor."

Heck no that is not too much to ask for! I completely agree with your decisions!

I agree 100%. We have enough to do without acting like a Mommy to Adults. But there are so many people that just have no etiquette or manners! My Fiance' and I will have people turned away if they show up without having RSVP'd. We are not going to overpay and "guess" how many people are coming. Nor will we have guests show up and take a seat away from someone who had enough manners to RSVP. Not to mention our party favors to be given out, also. And to plan a cake big enough for the Reception. Some people are just plain lazy or rude these days.