Your budget, guest list and wedding vision all have to jive. In other words, you can’t have a $25,000 budget, expect to invite 200 people and have a wedding that looks like it came right out of Pinterest. Consider what a $1.00 item does to your budget with 200 guests compared to a 100 guests. While $1.00 or even $200.00 seems minor in the grand scheme of things, if you have 5 of those items you are now looking at $1000. That could mean giving up a dessert table or any number of things. A $1.50 menu for 200 is $300. Place cards could be another 300, chargers another 300+ and right there you are at $1000. It’s those little details that boost your wedding to the next level and if you are spreading your budget over too many guests, you may be giving up the details.
Most people understand that hosting a wedding can be an expensive proposition and most recognize where they fall on the food chain so they shouldn’t be surprised if they don’t make the list. The perfect response to any inquiry is to simply respond that to cut costs, you decided to have an intimate wedding with only immediate family and friends. Remember, it’s your wedding so without being rude, you should invite only who you want.
Here are some helpful tips to cutting the guest list:
1. Co-workers are always in my opinion the first to go. Unless you have established a close personal relationship outside of the office cross them off the list.
2. If your parents aren’t paying for the wedding, their friends should be limited to only those that have actually been an intimate part of your lives as well.
3. If your parents are paying for the wedding or are contributing, they should still keep in mind this is your wedding and should limit the number of friends they invite giving priority to yours.
4. When it comes to your friends, I recommend asking yourself when was the last time I spent any time with this person? Are they an integral part of my life? If the guest in question is someone you like but you only text with, or like their social media posts but you don’t actually spend time together, they shouldn’t be on your guest list. If you haven’t spent any time with this person in the past 6 months, they shouldn’t get an invitation.
5. When it comes to plus ones, if your friend or family member isn’t in a long-term relationship, engaged, living with or married to their plus one, don’t give them a plus one. Sit them at a table with likeminded people and they will be fine.
6. Regarding children, it is always my preference that small children not be invited. I think most parents enjoy a nice evening out without the kids anyway.
7. Family members can be a little more difficult, but I recommend applying the same test
used for cutting your friend list. Just because they are family doesn’t mean you have to invite them. If you don’t communicate or socialize with them, there’s no need to feel obligated to invite them.