Okay friend, so you’ve set your date. You have your venue locked in. Perhaps you’ve even hired a wedding planner (If not schedule a free consultation with us today!).
Here is your next step? ARE YOU READY?
Your next step is establishing the guest list. Which I don’t know about you but for me, it felt like pulling teeth.
You might find yourself wondering Who to invite vs. who do I leave uninvited? How do I narrow down my list? Do I let my parents have a say in who comes? Do I let kids come?
Well hang tight! I’m about to answer all your questions and more.
Who to invite:
-Your immediate family
-Wedding Party and SERIOUS significant others (if your groomsmen or bridesmaid has a new fling, they DON’T have to come).
-Family members who’ve invested in your life
-Family friends who’ve played a pivotal role in who you’ve become over the years
-Friends who actually care about you and did stick by your side through the pandemic(if you fell out of touch, they can probably be on the B list).
-CoWorkers who you would hang out with outside of the office/workspace.
A great rule of thumb when initially creating your list, is to think Would I be okay right now spending $50+ (the minimum cost per guest at a wedding) to buy this person dinner? If yes, then they can be on your A-List. If not, boot them to B or C.
What are these lists I speak of? I’m sooooo glad you asked! When creating a guest list, I highly recommend creating three different lists of people.
If you feel at any point in your gut that they don’t absolutely need to be at your wedding, put them on the B-List, your budget and future self will thank you later!
Once you have your preliminary guest list. It’s time to sit down with your fiancé and ask. What are our priorities? Is it to have a BIG party with ALL our family and friends? Or to have an intentional day where you can enjoy the festivities too. Keep in mind that the more people you invite, the more people who need to thank for coming and having conversations with. This could take away from time on the dance floor or having great conversations with cherished loved ones.
What number is your A guest list at? 50? 100? 150? 200+? Now take that number and multiply it by at least 50. How does that number compare to your budget? If that number is over 50% of your overall budget, you MUST either increase your budget or decrease your guest count.
I hope this is helpful for getting you moving in the right direction for your wedding guest list. Let me know what questions you have down in the comments!
Warm Wishes,
Cassidy