When making your guest list… (Guest blog by Andi Sells (Hello Jude Intern)
This blog post is dedicated solely to guest list and everything to consider when making yours in hopes of avoiding family drama and hard decisions that come with it. There is so much that goes into making a guest list and deciding who will be invited to the most important day of your life. You are not alone- every couple goes through the same questions when creating their guest list.
We all know that guest list can get overwhelming and messy. This is why it is important to settle the basics before getting to the individual guest. Traditionally the wedding couple invites half the guests and then each of the parents invites a quarter. To keep things clean and organized decide on the number of people first (ex:200). Then give the parents of the bride/groom specific numbers (ex: 50 guest). When it comes to weddings we all know that things can get hectic, so by giving specifics right off you clear the air and prevent complications and can give your families boundaries as they are working on their contributions to the guest list.
You have to think about numbers. How many people do you want at your wedding? Do you want a big or small wedding? But most importantly, what is the size of your venue? Every venue has a maximum capacity and it is important to keep this in mind. Simply put, you can’t invite more people than you can fit. So before settling on a venue make sure it has enough space for all of your desired guests.
Keep it organized. One of the best ways to stay organized is by creating an online guest list. This allows you easy access to changes, RSVPs, and all guest information. This way you have everything you need all in one space. It also allows you to sort guest between yeses, maybes, and nos. Finally, (best of all) you can refer back to this list when sending out thank you cards or any other mail in the future! https://www.theknot.com/gs/guest-list
Consider the cost. Every wedding has a budget that must be considered. So when making your guest list and deciding how many people to have at your wedding, consider all of the costs that follow. Costs including (but not limited to) food and favors. So if you prefer high end food consider less guests. Or if you are going for casual dining, then feel free to invite a few more guests.
To keep all of your guest-list-making fair and calm set a couple rules beforehand. These rules are created by you and your spouse and will help when you are trying to find guest to add as well as cut.
Here are a few common rules as example:
Rule 1: If neither of you has spoken to or met them or heard their name before, don’t invite them.
Rule 2: Not crazy about inviting children to your party? Don’t feel bad about having an adults-only wedding.
Rule 3: If neither of you has spoken to them in three years and they’re not related to you, don’t invite them.
Rule 4: If there’s anyone who’s on the list because you feel guilty about leaving them off (maybe because you were invited to their wedding or they’re friends with lots of people who are invited), don’t invite them.
Lastly, it is always courteous to consider traveling guests. The best way to do this is by including a list of local hotels or B&B’s that are convenient to the venue.
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