Five Tips for Planning Your Wedding Guest List

Putting together your wedding guest list can seem like a pretty daunting task, initially, it seems fun, what’s not fun about choosing who to spend your big day with right? But things can quickly become very political and you’ll start throwing phrases around such as “but we were invited to their wedding,” and “if we invite them then we have to invite them.” Don’t worry, you’re not alone, other newly engaged couples have faced the same dilemmas which is why we’ve pulled together our top tips for putting together your wedding guest list as drama-free as possible!

A major part of wedding planning is coming up with your budget and putting together your wedding guest list, figuring out a budget and finding a venue all go hand-in-hand. So, what kind of wedding do you picture having, is it in a big country manor, a cosy little pub or on the beach? How many guests can your dream wedding accommodate? How many guests can you realistically afford? Once you have answers to these questions you can begin to come up with your list.

It’s always a good idea to have some rules in place to stop your list from getting out of control and to help keep the numbers down. Whatever rules you and your partner come up with the key is to be consistent, this way everyone knows where they stand and your guests won’t get upset.

Children –
If you’re allowing guests to bring their children it may be worth introducing an age limit so that everyone knows where they stand; no children under the age of 14 for example. Or, if you want a child-free wedding then have one! If someone doesn’t want to come because their little one can’t come then so be it.

Plus Ones –
Don’t feel obliged to offer everyone a plus one, especially if you’ve never met them before! The easiest way to get around the mind field of plus one’s is a rule such as – if the couple is in a long-term relationship (1 year or more for example) and you’ve met their other half then they get an invite, if they haven’t then they don’t.

Sit down with your partner and write a list of all the people you would like at your wedding if money and space weren’t an issue. Start with your A-lister guests, the ones you absolutely cannot get married without, and your must-haves; your parents, your children, and your close friends. Highlight them and no matter where your list goes from here these people will be invited no matter what.

Then revisit your list with fresh eyes a few days later and start to narrow it down. Try asking yourself questions like; have you spoken to this person in the last year? Will this person make your wedding more fun/memorable? Can you afford to have this person at your wedding?

Your final list should be created when you come to send out the invitations, by now you should have a clear view of who you want to be at your wedding and will confidently be able to remove those you don’t.

Make sure to send out your wedding invitations well in advance so that people can make the necessary travel, accommodation and/or childcare arrangements. If there are people on your list that you wish you could have invited but that didn’t make the final cut you may be able to do so by sending out a second round of invitations if you receive any “not attending” RSVPs. To make sure these people don’t feel like an afterthought send out your second round as soon as possible, not a week or two before the wedding!

It’s easy to feel the need to invite people simply because you were invited to their wedding or because you know they’ll be upset if they don’t get an invite. But it is important to remember that this is your day and you can invite whoever you want.
So, try not to feel guilty – every guest is an extra meal, slice of cake and wedding favour that you have to pay for. Politely explain to those that are disappointed that you can only work according to your budget and the space available at your chosen venue. People are usually more understanding than we think and the chances are they may be upset but they will respect your decision.