The fact OP has to ask signals an even larger communication issue. This should be the easiest thing to hash out or at least bring up. It’s purely business and p

The fact OP has to ask signals an even larger communication issue. This should be the easiest thing to hash out or at least bring up. It’s purely business and purely controllable. Doesn’t mean it will be conflict free but just talk about it. I’d personally just bring up expense management and how I understood the intent but feel as if we need to think of more cost effective ways to engage our team, etc. If they push back, you can always say you think the partners would agree and perhaps is why they did not attend. Anyways, maybe build a budget together to get aligned as well.