Although sometimes dreaded, we all have to do it at some point during wedding planning… cut the guest list. In my opinion, it’s actually a really good thing. Why? Well because if you haven’t figured it out by now, more guests= more food = more drinks = more tables = more centerpieces = more money. So in a nutshell, the less guests you have, the less money you have to spend. And everyone likes spending less money, right? :)
Photo via ELV planner, Flaire Weddings & Events
So when you first start planning your wedding, you make your guest list. You and your fiance have your list, and your parents have their lists. Then you probably end up with A LOT more people than you want, right? Let’s say you want to have 100 guests, but you have 175 on your entire list. You’ll want to start off by dividing your list into an A List and a B List. Guests on the A List gets invited first, guests B List gets invited after you receive a “No” from an A List guest. So put 125-130 on your A List, and then the rest on the B List. The rule of thumb is that about 25-30% of the guests you invite will RSVP with a “No”. (NOTE: I also suggest that you take a look at the people who are on your list and try to predetermine if they’ll come or not. That will help you avoid potential overages.) :)
Photo by ELV photographer Christie Meresse Photography
So when it comes time to cut some of those guests from the A List, how do you decide on who to cut? Everyone is on the list for a reason, right? It can be a tough decision, but in the end, they have GOT to go! I was faced with the same dilemma, having to choose who to not invite, who to put on the “B” list and who to keep. So here are a few no-nonsense guidelines to help you with cutting your guest list…
– You (or your parents) haven’t talked to them via any normal method of communication for about 4 months
– They just work with you and you don’t spend time with them outside of work (no one expects you to invite everyone you work with!)
– They live far, far away and most likely won’t come anyways (in this case, it might be good to put them on the B list or send an invite right away- if they know they won’t go, they usually send the RSVP quickly)
– You haven’t seen them since you had braces (or any other awkward teenager/childhood thing)
– You can stand to think of them not being there and you really don’t think you’ll see them again after the wedding (hey, it’s the truth)
– You’re only inviting them because they invited you to their wedding
When it comes down to it, it’s really quite simple. You want your close family and friends to be there to share your wedding with you. You want to be surrounded by people who love you and who are truly happy for you. And you want to have a great time! So in the end, just stick to those key elements and you’ll have a great guest list and a fabulous wedding! :)
If you have any other tips that you found helpful in helping to cut the guest list, please feel free to share with us! Happy Thursday loves! :)
Lauren
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great tips on trimming the guest list! it’s not always easy to do this, but i totally agree with you in saying that your wedding should be shared with your closest friends and family…not long lost relatives. it’s also really tough to account for guests of your wedding party ;)
Hi Lauren! Great post! What I always posit to my clients is this: if you would not take that person to a $100 per person dinner on any other day of the week, then maybe they should not be on your wedding guest list :-)
This is such an important post! It is one of my biggest regrets not putting my foot down and forcing the guest list to be cut. I cut down on decor and things I dreamed of doing just to accommodate more tables and chairs and food for so many people my hubs and I had never even met! It is always my biggest advice to people, keep the guest list in check!
These are such great tips for dealing with the guest list.