Making Difficult Choices When Creating a Guest List for Your Wedding
Introduction
Congratulations on finding the love of your life! And with your wedding date and venue all set, it’s time to start making that guest list. Everyone thinks that this is the easiest part of the wedding until you spend a week deciding if you should invite Sharon from your mother’s Zumba class. She baked you a cake once, and you don’t want things to get weird between them. In all seriousness, finalizing a guest list can be hard, so here are a few tips and tricks to help make the process easier.
Some Wedding Guest Facts Worth Considering
The average number of guests at a wedding went as high as 105 guests. Now, if you’re thinking that you surely won’t have that many, you clearly haven’t sat down to consider who you want to invite. It is also worth remembering that despite an RSVP, some people just won’t show. And the further away a friend lives, the less likely they are to come.
Creating an A and B Guest List
Creating a guest list is a filtration process of slowly subtracting people until you get the right number of guests. So after you make that initial list, you need to divide those guests into an A and B list, prioritizing one over the other. This will require you to make some difficult decisions, but it can be very effective.
How to Differentiate Between an A and B List Guest
A good way to see if a guest is worthy of the A list or B list is by asking yourself if you will even be on speaking terms with this person in five years. How often do you interact with them, and how bad do you feel that you have to take them off the list? It’s important to have your partner with you when making these decisions since they can offer an unbiased opinion.
Should you allow Kids?
No. But seriously, consider a few factors before you close the entrance for kids. Do you have friends with kids? Do people in your immediate family have kids that they will bring to the ceremony?
Considering Plus Ones
You should consider if the people you are inviting will be coming with a plus one or plus many. Again, if your friend has a family, the next dinner at their house will be very awkward when some of the people there weren’t invited to the wedding. Still, you can restrict people from coming with a plus one, especially if you want an event with only a handful of people.
Making Difficult Decisions
The day of the event is often a bittersweet occasion, as you’re surrounded by people you love, half-know, and barely recognize, all while regretting that your best friend at work couldn’t make it because Sharon had to come. But try to be honest with friends and relatives about why you could not invite them, and they will be more than understanding.
Conclusion
As you embark on this exciting journey toward your big day, we hope these tips and tricks have proven valuable in navigating the task of finalizing your guest list. Congratulations again on discovering the love that will last a lifetime. Now, with the details falling into place, may your wedding be a celebration filled with joy, surrounded by the cherished company of those who matter most to you. Wishing you a beautiful and unforgettable wedding day!
