How to Plan Your Wedding Guest List
When you’re planning a wedding, one of your most stressful tasks will undoubtedly be planning your guest list. Knowing who to invite and who to leave off can be incredibly challenging. But, you can take at least some of the worry out of the equation by following a few simple tips.
Consider Who Contributed
First things first, think about who contributed financially or otherwise to your wedding. If someone gave a big financial gift to put toward your wedding or contributed in some other major way, such as making the centerpieces for the guest tables, it’s just plain bad form not to send an invitation. Yes, your wedding should ultimately be about you and who you want there, but in this regard at least, politeness should factor into the equation when possible.
Consider Who Can Travel
If you’re planning a wedding in Maui or somewhere else that requires travel, do take some time to think about who can actually make the trip. In cases where travel would cause a financial burden or would leave someone in a bad situation, such as unable to care for a loved one or children, you may want to skip the invite. If necessary, you may want to make your reasons known, however, to avoid any hurt feelings.
Consider Your Budget
Remember too that every guest at your wedding, no matter how beloved, ultimately costs you money. Thus, be practical as you create your guest list. Estimate a realistic cost per head and then work with that number to determine how many people you can invite. Once you have a set number in mind, narrowing down your guest list appropriately should be easier.
Consider Reliability
Finally, think about who is most likely to actually stick to their RSVP. If you have a friend or two who is a bit flaky in sticking to these types of things, don’t hesitate to cut them from the list for someone who is more likely to attend, especially if you’re already working with a tight list. You can always explain the lack of invite away by saying you thought the person would have “other obligations,” which can help to avoid hurt feelings.
Ultimately, there is no way to take all of the stress out of planning your wedding guest list. But, at the very least, these tips can help to remove some of the headache involved.
