Wednesday, October 7, 2015

No! You're Not Invited to my Wedding...

Chances are as soon as you reveal your engagement, everyone will start inviting themselves to your wedding.  Truth is, most of us can't afford to invite every person we know to our wedding!  I don't know about you but I have 855 Facebook friends! And I know each of them personally. You get where I'm going with this?  

Creating and finalizing a guest list is no easy task. You and your partner will probably each start with a large list of family members and close friends and then have to shave that list down a few more times in order to fit your budget. Hopefully you and your partner won't argue too much over the guest list.  Don't feel pressured to invite people to your wedding simply because they invited you to theirs. Here's a tip: Before your parents get a chance to start inviting every great-aunt and third and fourth cousin that you've never met, give your parents a set number of people that they can invite. Even if your parents are helping you pay for your wedding, don't let them get carried away with the guest list. Try setting specific guidelines for them because it's YOUR special day.  

What about all your old friends from high school?  I think David Tutera hit the nail on the head when he spoke about this topic on his TV show, "My Fair Wedding".  He said, "Have I seen or spoken to this person in the last year?  If the answer is no, odds are you can keep them off your must-have list."  

What about your coworkers?  Truthfully, some people spend more time with their work family than their real family.  So I won't say that coworkers shouldn't be invited.  What I will suggest is creating different lists for potential wedding guests in order of importance.  By this I mean start with your must-have list (i.e. grandparents, siblings, first cousins). Then move on to closest friends and family members that had an active part in your life recently. Then move on to your mentor and people that have helped you become the great person that you are today.  

What about the 'plus-ones' and guests that have children? You know cousin Charlie will want to bring his new girlfriend to your wedding. And Aunt Maddie will probably want to bring her 2 small children too.  If you would rather not extend a plus-one to cousin Charlie, that's fine, just be up front with him.  Remember, you have to stay true to your set wedding budget.  Also, if you and your partner agreed to have a kid-free wedding, then stick to your guns.  Just remember to be specific on your invitations stating that the invite is for 1 person only, and that this will be an 'adult only celebration'. Let me warn you:  This will probably not go over well with some guests, so be prepared for some push back. Guests may even try to write in their plus-one or somehow edit the RSVP.  Be sure to address those issues immediately so that there will be no confusion come wedding day.  

Your goal is to have a beautiful wedding day, shared with the most important people in your life. Do your BEST to keep the number of guests manageable.  Best of luck!
#behappy

~Your Favorite Wedding Officiant~ 
www.sweetheartweddingvows.com





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