Surprise Guests – Good or Bad?
Are surprise guests a good thing? Or do they throw everything off? You had a set guest list for your party or event that you revised and re-revised. After all, the venue is only so big and the weather is not exactly conducive to a gathering in the local park. There are only so many chairs and a large crowd is not easy to control. Your presentation of gifts or other surprises becomes much longer and indeed, can lose all of its impact. On the other hand, we have all heard the old adage “the more the merrier”. In the end, your reaction may depend on WHO the surprise guests are…
Beyonce? Come on in. Your crazy Uncle Ned, not so much.
Wanted and Unwanted Surprise Guests
Ok, we have established that almost any celebrity is welcome at our events. That is kind of a no-brainer, everyone loves celebrities. Or do they? What if that person overshadows the purpose of your event? It’s possible your message could get lost in the hoopla. Still, having Kanye West show up at your wedding reception as a surprise guest would certainly be welcome. The problems start when the surprise visitors are either people you don’t know or worse, people you don’t like. In any case, your gracious response will go a long way to resolving the challenges that come with unwelcome visitors.
With the ability to gather curtailed these days, people are desperate to spend time with fellow humans. Even if it means surprise crashing of parties. We know of one Bride who invited 50 and closer to 90 showed up. Her own bridal party and family did not have a chair to sit in, and she only knew two or three of the extra surprise guests. However, she handled the intrusions with grace and eventually it all settled down and a good time was had by all. Of course, the food, cake, and alcohol did not last long. She also did not get more wedding gifts than planned. Here is a tip for party crashers…At least bring a gift with you! Surprise guests should never arrive empty-handed.
Handle Surprises With Grace [tweet_box design=”default” float=”right” width=”40%”]Extra surprise guests shouldn’t ruin your event.[/tweet_box]
Extra surprise guests shouldn’t ruin your event. The key, we believe, is to address the situation with grace. Confrontation should always be a last resort. The first step could be speaking with whoever invited them. If your invited cousin brought three buddies with him, take your cousin to the side and explain why his guests are NOT your guests. Another option, though kind of strict is to only allow those who have invitations to enter the facility. One last suggestion would be to simply make an announcement about only supplying enough seats and food or drink for your original invited guests. You can then request that everyone conserve so the goodies last for everyone.
Regardless of how you choose to deal with your surprise guests, do it with grace and an open heart. After that, let the love and good cheer of the moment guide you.
The Beacon Center Has The Flexibility You Need
Here at The Beacon Center, we understand surprises. Good surprises, like surprise parties. And bad surprises like parties canceling. We can help you navigate your event and help guide you through the surprises you may encounter. Our venue is flexible, with our new Annex available to give you more space when the guest list begins to grow. We have lots of experience with a variety of room setups, this can allow you to maximize the use of our space while still giving your guests, surprise or invited, plenty of elbow room.
To get started simply visit our website, book a personal tour, and discover how to make “our space, your space”.
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