Not meeting venue guest requirement/minimum

Can you invite anyone on your "B-List"? ( you know...the ones you would have invited but they didn't make the first cut?) They way you do this (without making it sound like they are afterthoughts) is to tell them that you have not received their RSVP yet, and you were wondering if they were coming...if they say something like, "they never got their invitation"...tell them there was an issue with the person hired to send them out (epic fail?) and assure them that it was an unintended oversight and you do apologize and do hope they will be able to come...

Can you ask if you can upgrade some things or add some apps to cocktail hour? Most venues will negotiate because their minimum is typically based on a dollar amount more than a person total.

I would check and see if you can add a dessert bar, upgrade alcohol, etc. Most of the time it’s a minimum dollar amount that they see with 100 people. That’s how my venue is, so if we drop down below the minimum we can add things! Doesn’t hurt to ask!

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That's a good idea. I will have to ask my coordinator! Thanks for the idea.

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Thanks, I am definitely going to ask my coordinator about this!

Typically the minimum is a “food and beverage” minimum, explain the situation and ask about upgrading or adding a course, a late night snack, etc.

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Thanks! A late night snack would be an awesome idea.

Before making adjustments, make sure you have counted your vendor meals toward your number. I know a few people who added extra items to get up to minimums, only to be shocked when the 4 piece band, 2photographers and 1 video, etc, added 9 to the count, leaving them with over the minimum without realizing, and paying for about $1600 of the extra add ons.

View Quoted Comment On this note- make sure you know what your venue charges! Mine charges vendors $25/head for a meal vs the $160/guest because the vendors aren’t indulging in the open bar, cake service, linens, chairs, general service, etc!

View Quoted Comment Yes! One reason vendor meals are so very easy to forget is that they may be $50 of usual $70, or $$125 of $200, depending on whether seated at tables with centerpieces and linens, or in a back room. But because the 100 person minimum is really a dollar minimum, they need to have the sum of their meals figured in before upgrading. And 6-8 vendor meals equals fewer regular meals, as you point out, and usually lower beverages cost.

View Quoted Comment This. If there’s any way they can split the difference with you (give you $1K back) that would be worth asking for! Then tell them you’ll spend the rest ($1500) on upgrades: more cocktail appetizers, premium bar, late night s’smores bar, etc. Your guests will really enjoy those extras!

View Quoted Comment Our vendors are separate from our regular guest count so they’re already included

View Quoted Comment Thanks! Those are some really great ideas!

If you can't add on extra items to hit the minimum spend, I would ask a few coworkers and a few of your parents friends. Is there any room for guests to have a plus one? I would definitely not lie to anyone about invitations being lost in the mail. There is no need to lie about something that is very common in wedding planning.

View Quoted Comment We actually gave all of our guests plus ones already. A lot ended up not using them which is part of what is throwing off our numbers so much. My FH is already inviting a lot of coworkers that he is friends with and I personally am not friendly outside of work with any of my coworkers as I have only been in my current position for a few months and I am pretty reserved at work. Both sets of our parents have invited their friends already as well haha but thank you for the idea!

I do sort of have experience with this! my venue required me to have 26 tables for the space i wanted. ideally that means 260 guests is the maximum but i ended up not really having all the way up to that. however, we just decided to still pay for the 26 tables and just space everyone out so that it is not all 10 to a table and it still works out fine. however i understand my situation is kind of different from yours because i am paying by table rather than by person.
so i have some ideas [sort of]:
do you anticipate anyone would change their mind and show up or that there may be uninvited guests? in my culture it is sadly common that uninvited people show up and that we are expected to accommodate it. not that you have to though but just saying, some people purposefully just leave a buffer.
or i liked what sarah said where can you ask your venue instead of not having the 15 extra meals or seats, can you use that money difference for something else? like upgrading the menu or an add on of some sort? i feel like if you're required to spend x amount of money by the venue then if you can direct the money elsewhere instead of needing to have exactly 100 they might be flexible with it.
ANOTHER IDEA - can you just let people have seconds if they want it? or whomever is still super hungry? i know that's kind of weird but for me, because i am paying by tables, regardless whether or not there are people at the table, the food will still be made for that table so they told me i can just disperse the food for that table to other tables.
OR can you to-go that food home? ahah i am starting to sound super ghetto. but my venue said i could do that too if in case those tables don't get filled or show up. i mean the reason is if you're paying for that food, then why can't you be able to still have it on other ways or to take home for later, ya know?
also, if you did not count baby seats then can you count them as a seat? initially i did not count people with a baby seat which was about five because technically they can be on the side and not included in the count but once i added them in it did help in my numbers.
fyi sorry for my long post. i had the same issue as you so i have so many thoughts on this aha. i hope things work out.