My husband and I are DJs and do karaoke on the side. Every year we host a party right around memorial Day and Labor Day where we invite our customers who have supported us over the year. This past Memorial Day I recieved two phone calls. One from a woman that I really can not even stand asking if we were having a party (I told her no) and another call from some one who had been a regular customer for sometime but we have not seen in a year. Due to the fact that we were hsoting this party elsewhere I made my husband tell this person that we had limited parking available and could not invite anyone else. I did not want to hurt this persons' feelings but come on!! We supply all the food, all the drinks (alcoholic and non), so it's just a free party and all of a sudden people are crawling out of the woodwork the day of. How would you handle this when Labor Day rolls around?

I'd definitely spell out on the invite that this event is a thank you to our cutomers who have made the past year a success/invitation required for entry.

The nature of your business probably means you can't alienate people too much, but if they cross that line to just being a mooch, I would absolutely use the "limited parking" type lines suggested by the others.

Good luck!

Tell them that there is a certain amount of customers that you and your husband can host which you have already met.