Just asking: Is it tight to charge your guests to come to your party?
Do you like this story?
Wait, before you say “yes totally!” I want you to think “GFC” and read the email I received from Sarah about this exact issue.
She wrote:
I have a delicate issue that I need some social advice on that I know you will be able to help me with.Question: Is it ok to have a significant birthday party and charge your guests to attend?
Example: A friend of mine is having her 40th coming up – at The Hyatt Hotel in Canberra – it will be a very glamour cocktail event, that will cost about $120 per head. She is looking at having about 50 close friends, a band, room hire etc. the function will end up costing her about $7,000.
She is considering charging her guests a nominal cost (ie $40 per head) and has asked for my advice on the matter. I am in two minds – initially I think it is really tight, and that if you cant afford to throw your friends a party then don’t have one.
Then I started thinking maybe it was a bit practical. If you stipulated no gifts and in lieu of that a charge…..
No, I still think its pretty average.
I would love your thoughts Mamamia community…..HELP
Tough call this one. In a perfect rich world, we would all be able to entertain our friends in lavish style or even just buy them a few drinks and some teeny little gourmet rice paper rolls carried around on a silver tray. And pay for it. Group dinners are SUCH a minefield of ettiquette it’s hard to know where to start.
Dive in. What’s been your experience and do you have any kind of….policy?





















I’d be inclined not to but that’s just me. Doesn’t mean it’s wrong. I’m sure some ppl out there would think it’s OK.
I think what I’d do is scale down the party so that I could afford the entire cost myself & not have to charge anyone.
loading...