So far for our month of wedding planning we’ve covered, budgeting (an ongoing theme here, with our DIY and small budget wedding focus), choosing vendors while staying inside your budget and WHERE to find them. We’ve also discussed negotiating rates with them as well (within reason of course). Last week we discussed how to specifically choose your wedding day photographer, being sure to stay to true to who you are as a couple, your individual style and your wants and needs from wedding day photography coverage!
This week we’re covering that daunting guest list!
It’s OK. Keep Calm! This does not need to be as stressful as we make it. Yes, you read that right; as stressful as WE make it. WE being the brides/grooms. Let’s dive in.
Wedding Guest List
- Look at your budget. Your budget will have determined how big of a guest list you can comfortably host. If you can only afford 50 people. Stick to 50 people. Those that aren’t invited are not going to hold a grudge for a lifetime because you didn’t go into debt to invite them. It’s ok. Stick to the number of guests your budget can comfortably host.
- Then, listen to your heart and your gut. As soon as you sit down to create your guest list you can easily ramble off 30 to 50 guests that are MUST HAVES. Be it that they are family, long time friends or their presence will simply just make your day. In the other realm of things, if your budget says you can host 250 guests, but you’re struggling to come up with 100. Lower your number of guests to those you truly want to share the day with. You do not need to invite every person you know or have met.
- Do you want children to be included in the general population of guests?
- Start your list with family members of each person, then add in your respective friends. Once you have a list of each of these groups, count everyone up. If you’re under, that’s great! If you’ve gone over it’s time to slim the list down. Start by highlighting each person that MUST be there. No if, ands, or buts they have to be there. Then start going over those that aren’t your must haves. Again, if someone isn’t invited it will be OK.
- Mom’s this one’s for you; your children do not need to invited Aunt Susan and her kids families if your children do not feel connected to them. Please remember, that this is your child’s day, and it is more usually than not your child’s budget. Not yours. Be Supportive and Full of Love.
- Once you’ve narrowed down the list to meet your budget and your personal preferences, it’s time to decide if you’re going to design or purchase save the dates (we love the creations hidden on Etsy & the custom creations at Fry Side Design) and choose your wedding invitations.
Closing Thoughts
When deciding on your guest list, it is important to follow your hearts. This is a momentous ocassion for you both and it is important to make sure those you love most are there (or at least requested) to be there with you. While I know our parents can have the power of persuasion over some of us, we are not required to invited every single far off family member or friend of the family (aka friend’s of your parents). Try your best not to fall into this, it really is OK to say “No, we really need to stick to our budget and we don’t have the ability to invite everyone we know”.
Stick to you budget.
Follow you hearts.
Have a great time!
Denna Kline Photography 