Making your wedding guest list

Making Your Wedding Guest List

First thought should be whether you want a big wedding with the whole town invited or you would prefer an intimate affair with just a few close friends and family.

Regardless of your situation, it is important to decide on wedding size early on.
You can never make a preliminary wedding guest list too early.
Thinking about who you will invite and who will actually attend your wedding has a tremendous impact on your planning.

You have to take into consideration the venue where the wedding will be taking place when trying to determine size. This way you will be able to book a location where your entire party will comfortably fit. In some cases you may be in love with a certain location and have to cut down your list.

The vague number in your head may be very different to the reality, and seeing names on paper helps you to be sensible about who to invite to your wedding and who to downgrade to list B!

The difference between 100 and 130 guests may be quite considerable, when you consider three more tables, floral centrepieces, 30 more meals and wedding favors.

Only you can decide whether those people make the day more special or simply blow your budget.

When compiling your guest list, consider:

•Your complete guest list can be a combination of four lists: the bride's, the groom's, and both sets of parents.

•Give your parents some parameters, so that they know in advance they can't invite every second cousin, business acquaintance and family friend they haven't seen in twenty years.

•The final recipe for your guest list should comprise both realism (think budget) and hospitality.
•Never make the mistake of sending invitations to people you don't want there.
You may find they are the very first people to accept!
•Prioritise your guest list according to their importance to you.
•Be consistent! If you say you won't be inviting children, don't make exceptions.
•You can expect 10 to 20 per cent of those you invite not to attend.

Other considerations include:

•Partners - if you have single friends to invite, will you invite a ‘plus one' or simply leave them as individuals? Remember, consistency is the key!

•Spend some time talking with your fiancé and family about how you will all deal with people who are not invited to the wedding. If you have a consistent reason that everyone can articulate well, it means the possibility of hurting people's feelings is reduced.

Preparing the guest list can be a really hard task but once that will be settled, everything will be clearer.

Good luck !!




Article written thanks to Pink Frosting