Wedding Guest List Tips

When you first sit down to do your guest list, you will probably be tempted to invite every person you have ever met. Or you will feel right off the bat that you can't possible afford to invite anyone? More likely it is somewhere in between.

How do you select the guests to invite to your special event. Here are some simple guidelines to follow.

Collect the list of guests from both sets of parents. Calculate those, plus both of your parties, and their guests. You’ll be surprised on the total.

Make two separate lists: “Bride’s Hopeful Guests” and “Groom’s Hopeful Guests.” Count this up, and don’t forget to account for their guests, if you have decided to do let them bring one.

Figure out how much it would cost to host all of these people. If it is out of your budget, you can downsize, making sure both give and take on who to invite.

Trouble shortening the list, try these tips

Invite the people your are closest to, or have been really close in the past but life got a little in the way. Consider now and long-term.

If someone doesn't make the cut, tell them if you wish not to offend them. Tell them it is a small wedding and you really feel bad, but you had to invite family first. This only works if the person isn't family though.

You can always have a special engagement party for close friends that can't make it or aren't going to be invited to the wedding.

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