We had 250 invites printed. We included an invitation in the church bulletin; our church size is about 200. We still have about 40 at home. We have been inviting anyone who wants to come celebrate with us. It's an open house! The more the merrier!
Based on this, you may think a million people will attend. Doubtful. Most of the 250 went to relatives that live more than an hour away and won't be attending. The open house is on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, a time when many are at the lake or doing other non-graduation type of things.
And regardless of how many people pass through, how many are going to several open houses and won't eat anything? How many are planning to "pig out?" (pun intended, we're having a hog roast). Is it better to be eating graduation party food all summer and sending frozen care packages with the teenager as he leaves for college, or to run out of food thirty minutes before the party ends?
I started off planning for 200. In my mind, I figured half the church would come, fifty relatives, and fifty of the teenager's friends. And part of me still thinks that number is solid.
But then I think, what if everyone in church comes? My parents, siblings and spouses plus husband's siblings plus our own household is 14 alone... I mean, I WANT everyone to come! But I don't want to eat shredded pork for the next month...
So slowly my numbers have been growing. We told Pig Man to plan for 200. We ordered 225 cupcakes (more on that in future posts). We ordered 250 cups for smoothies. And now, the bun debate.
Husband: "Did you order the buns yet?"
Me: (keeping in mind I am the one doing all the ordering) a terse "Yes."
Husband: "How many did you get?"
Me: "Eighteen dozen" (216)
Husband: "Do you think that will be enough?"
*Pause*
My internal monologue: NO I INTENTIONALLY ORDERED 2 DOZEN LESS THAN I THINK WILL BE ENOUGH.
Me: "Would you like me to order more? How many more should I order?
Husband/teenager: Silence.
See? NOBODY KNOWS THE ANSWER! We all have this fear that it's not enough, but nobody knows the magic number of what IS enough!!!
So let's take bets. Post your guess of how many plates we will serve at open house. If you are correct, I will give you a FABULOUS prize.
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izzy says that it's 213 people. and i think you're safe with 216 buns. :)
ReplyDeletenot to worry--there is always a pizza joint close by when you run out od food---people REALLY don't care if food runs out--it is the time spent together to enjoy friends, family and graduate--REALLY
ReplyDeleteI'm going to go... 185. And really, if all you have left is cake, that is more than enough!
ReplyDeleteI'm going with 195.
ReplyDeleteAnd like Anonymous said and we discussed over the phone, there's always pizza. But seriously, people don't care if you run out of food. They are coming there for Franklin and his fam, not the free food. Unless they're teenage boys or college students. Then they're totally there for the free food.
I'm going to lowball it and say 165. But then, I'm horrid a guestimating. I tend to feel the need to be more precise...shocking, I know!
ReplyDelete250 + 200 + 40 = 490 total invites.
ReplyDelete• Consider the wedding rule: If more than 200 guests are invited, it can be assumed between twenty-five and twenty-eight percent will be unable to attend. = 360
• Consider Memorial Day = 180
• Consider distance = 132
• Consider the 40 invites that you're not REALLY going to hand out = 92
• Consider that nobody reads the church bulletin (okay, except staff and deacons) subtract 150 = -58
Okay, I think I messed up somewhere along the line. I am going to guess 214 ATTENDANTS, 216 BUNS CONSUMED!
I'm guessing 65% of 250 invites (each invite equals at least 2 people)
ReplyDelete.65 X 500=325
don't worry about the buns