Wedding How

Top 10 Rules to Invite Wedding Guests

What’s better than two lovebirds joining forces through holy matrimony?

However, while falling in love is easy, planning for a wedding is challenging and something we could all use some help with.

To make things easier for you, we have made a list of 10 rules to follow when inviting guests to your wedding:

Top 10 Rules to Invite Wedding Guests
Top 10 Rules to Invite Wedding Guests
Photographer: Tara Winstead

Begin With A Master List

A master list is essentially a list of all the people you would consider inviting to your wedding. Master lists are like a brain dump; you note down every name that comes into your mind, regardless of what the final outcome of the guest list will be.

Master lists allow for complete freedom; you can list everyone on them, from your high school friends to the colleagues you rarely speak with. Don’t forget to note down the names of your distant relatives and anyone who was close to you in the past, too.

Loving Newlywed Couple Kissing among Wedding Guests
Loving Newlywed Couple Kissing among Wedding Guests
Photographer: Kammeran Gonzalez-Keola

Decide On A Number Of Guests From Each Side

Before cutting down on numbers, have a serious conversation with your partner about how many people you would like to invite, and what their take on the matter is. If either party’s parents are paying for the wedding, they should be consulted, too. Even if finances are not an issue, it’s always a good move to consult each other’s families about the matter.

Wedding Guest Decor
Wedding Guest Decor
Photographer: Andrea Piacquadio

Consider Your Venue

If you have shortlisted a few potential venues, decide on your guest list quantity accordingly; different venues can cater to a different number of guests, and it’s important to know the exact number beforehand.

Once you have an idea of how many people your wedding venue can cater to, shorten your master list accordingly.

Turned-on Clear Chandelier
Turned-on Clear Chandelier
Photographer: Jonathan Borba

Divide Your Guest List

Guest lists can get out of hand if not handled with care. A smart way to distribute the guest allotment is by splitting the maximum guest capacity three ways: 25% for your parents, 25% for your partner’s parents, and 50% for your fiancé and you.

For example, if your guest list consists of 200 people, allow your partner and yourself 100 seats, and allot 50 each to either parental party.

Wedding Guest Plan
Wedding Guest Plan
Photographer: Ann Nekr

Start Cutting Down on your Master List

Once you know how many people you can afford to invite, start preparing a shortlist of all your guests. After further consideration, take down extra names from your guest list and finalize the names.

Couple of Newlyweds Celebrating Wedding Day
A Couple of Newlyweds Celebrating Wedding Day
Photographer: Tara Winstead

Know Your Staples

We all have a group of individuals who we can’t imagine not having at our wedding. This includes close friends, family, and others we care deeply about. Be sure to include all of them on your final guest list!

All the Relatives
All the Relatives
Photographer: Nicole Michalou

Discuss Guests with your Fiancé

Is there someone who your partner knows and wants at the wedding, but said person makes you uncomfortable? Part of being married is respecting each other’s boundaries and being able to openly discuss such matters. So, if you feel like you need to discuss something of the sort with your partner, go right ahead!

Discuss Guests with your Fiancé
Discuss Guests with your Fiancé
Photographer: Flora Westbrook

Consider an Adults-Only Wedding

If your budget is tight, why not cut back on kids? There is no shame in having an adult-only wedding, especially if you’re tight on seating. If you feel like this is the way to go, discuss it with your partner, and see how they feel about it.

Stylish Wedding Shoes
Stylish Wedding Shoes
Photographer: Gift Habeshaw

Prepare a B-List

It may sound mean at first, but B-lists are the heroes you never knew you needed. B-list guests are all those who you’d like to see at your wedding but can’t invite due to a lack of resources.

Before creating a B-list, send out your regular invites to all those who made it to your official “final” list, better known as the A-list. Request your guests to confirm their attendance in advance; for every dropout, you can add on a person from your B-list.

Working on a B List
Working on a B List
Photographer: Content Pixie

Don’t Break Your Budget Out of Guilt

You may be pressured by someone, like your parents, to invite people they want to the wedding, but your budget simply won’t allow for it. Such scenarios are hard to avoid and are bound to come up. The best way to deal with them is by talking to your parents, or whoever is pressuring you, about it. Remember, you are not obligated to invite people you simply cannot cater to don’t break your budget to accommodate extra guests!

Wedding Guest Celebrating
Wedding Guest Celebrating
Photographer: Cottonbro

Conclusion

Wedding planning can be stressful. But don’t worry; you can rely on these tried and tested tricks to help you pull through!

 

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