One of the hardest parts of wedding planning is deciding who you want to include on your guest list. It also happens to be one of the first tasks you must accomplish before getting into all the little details. To make things easier on you, we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you make quick and easy decisions when creating your wedding guest list!
Create a maximum number of guests.
Before writing down any names, you should decide on a maximum number of guests that you will invite to your wedding, so that no matter what, you don’t go over that number. Consult with your venue to find out how many guests can comfortably fit in the space, and consider your budget for food, place settings, save-the-dates, and invitations. Doing this will help you establish your own criteria before getting too far into the process.
Start with the absolute must-haves.
Absolute must-haves are considered to be anyone that is involved in the wedding. This includes:
Bridesmaids
Groomsmen
Immediate family of the bride
Immediate family of the groom
Flower girl
Ring bearer
Marriage officiant
Photographer
Videographer
Hair stylist/makeup artist
Remember that not all family has to be included.
Just because they’re family, doesn’t mean that you automatically have to include them as an absolute must-have. This is YOUR wedding, and trust me when I say most everyone understands that. If you do have some family members that you don’t stay in contact with, don’t feel obligated to invite them if you don’t want to. Chances are, they aren’t necessarily expecting an invitation anyways.
Think about who has been a party of your journey.
When deciding which friends to invite to the big day, think about the ones who have been a part of you and your significant other’s relationship. These are the people that have been on this journey with you and are a special part of where you are now. If they aren’t a close friend and don’t know your significant other, it’s usually a sign that they should be a low priority on your guest list.
Exclude friends you haven't contacted in recent years.
Remind yourself that you don’t have to invite long lost friends. You may even have pretty close friends that you haven’t spoken to in a while, and it’s important to know that it’s okay to leave them off the guest list, or just to make them a lower priority. A good rule of thumb is that if you haven’t spoken to them in the last 1-2 years (depending on your maximum number of guests) it’s okay to leave them off the list.
We know that finalizing your guest list can be hard physically and emotionally, but it’s important to keep you and your significant other’s feelings in check because it’s your day – not anyone else’s. Your friends and family will love you no matter what!
Leave a Reply