Deciding between your second cousin twice removed and the friend you have not seen in a couple years on a limited budget can make planning a wedding guest list challenging. You will want every special person in your life present to witness the occasion, but you might be planning this magical day around a unique budget. The final headcount will be important for your venue, catering and your budget. These tips for creating a wedding guest list will help you prioritize and stay within budget.
The Wedding Party
The wedding party must come first. If you are planning on having a wedding party, you will need to determine the size of your ensemble and who makes the cut. You will need to include them on the list for seating and catering. The wedding party will have a supportive role with planning and stand by your side during the ceremony. Not every wedding takes the same shape. You might have two or ten in a line at the wedding arch. This decision is all yours. Just make sure to add them to your guest count before inviting other guests, since these are special people that are participating in the wedding. Do not forget to add their significant other and children.
Family on the Wedding Guest List
Family is also at the very top of the wedding guest list. Begin with your innermost circle, and then work your way towards distant family members and friends. The wedding guest list usually begins with parents, followed by siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. If there is room in your budget, you can expand your list to include distant family.
Close Friends
Close friends are next to family and usually make the wedding guest list. This list can be a little easier to create, considering they must be in your life on the regular to make the list. If you go months or years without speaking to this person, you might want to rethink adding them to the wedding guest list.
Professional Circle
Coworkers form a professional circle and can become very important people in your life that you might want to add to the wedding guest list. If your budget is small, invite very close friends from work, instead of the entire office. If you feel like you are going to get into an uncomfortable situation of picking and choosing, you can always keep the wedding guest list limited to very close family and friends outside of work. If the subject is discussed at work, you can just explain that your planning a very small and intimate wedding.
Challenges of Creating a Wedding Guest List
One of the most challenging parts of creating a wedding guest list is dividing it by two. There is a bride’s side and a groom’s side to consider. The general rule is to allot the same number of guests for the groom as for the bride. Also, each guest that you invite will naturally bring a date. That doubles your guest count. If you are allowing children at your wedding, you will need to add space for the children. This can create an unequal count when thinking in terms of adults and children. With your budget in mind, set a comfortable number for the guest count and work with your partner to make room for those that are important to both of you.
Be Mindful
The wedding guest list can be sensitive for some. There might not be room for certain people in your budget. You might find yourself avoiding the subject with some and leaving someone out. The wedding party could be a little smaller and leave that one friend wondering why they were never asked to be part of your special day. You are not required to invite someone to avoid hurt feelings. However, you should be mindful of the situation. Be careful not to invite someone to a smaller event, such as the bridal shower, bachelorette party or rehearsal dinner that is not being invited to the wedding. If you find yourself hurting feelings, just explain you are planning a small event.
Crystal Ballroom Saint Augustine
Create your perfect wedding guest list, and host your dream wedding at Crystal Ballroom Saint Augustine. Step inside of the design studio and meet with in-house designers, planners and florists. Host your wedding day at Crystal Ballroom, and experience a fairy tale in a picturesque venue designed just for you.
