Q. How do we avoid the expense of no-show guests?

A. First, make sure you understand your caterer or venue’s policy on when the head count must be provided and how any increases or decreases in that number are handled. Second, give your less reliable family members and close friends a gentle verbal reminder when they RSVP that you have to give the final numbers to the caterer early and that they can’t be changed, so they understand the importance of providing you with an accurate RSVP. Obviously, you should be polite and matter-of-fact with the conversation, and it’s a nice touch to add that you hope the guests can attend. If guests do indeed fail to attend your vow renewal, it’s important to be graceful and understanding, even if you end up incurring extra costs.