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| Unique Avenue Designs |
Guest lists have a tendency to spin quickly out of control. Ofcourse, the easiest way to stay on track with your budget is to keep your guest list under control and the easiest way to extend your budget is to keep your guest list at a minimum (whatever your particular minimum may be).
It's important to keep in mind that your budget isn't the only thing affected by your guest count. In fact, far from it. For instance, if money were no object, how do you envision your wedding day? The best weddings are the ones that focus on the guest experience. When you do this, it creates an atmosphere that is much more memorable.
Other than money what else does your guest count cost you?
From our standpoint, we hear all too often from brides and grooms whose expanded guest list forced them to choose what they consider to be an "ugly" venue. Thankfully, that's where we come in but, honestly, that's costing you both the venue that you desired and more money on decor.
Just a few guidelines to help:
1. Start by deciding how the two of you envision your wedding day. Do you picture a room with lots of candles and flowers? Is a menu of fine cuisine a must have or do you want fried chicken and a home style setting? Have you always dreamt of an outdoor location or a grand ballroom? Would you prefer a more intimate affair with 100 or less of your nearest and dearest or a large production celebrating with everyone you and both sets of parents can think of ever knowing, all the cousins and their partners, everyone’s children, and lots of friends and relatives?
2. Decide on a budget. Just because keeping your guest list in check is the easiest way to keep a budget under control, doesn't mean that an intimate wedding is going to necessarily be less expensive than a large one. It all depends on the environment you are trying to create.
3. The Rents. There are many articles, blogs, books, advice columns, etc that have ways to handle the tricky situation of who your parents invite. This is especially difficult if they are the ones covering the bill. You can take your pick of their long list of advice. I'll just say, make sure that the experience you have in mind for yourself and your guests isn't sacrificed in order to accommodate another place setting or fifty.
4. Don't feel guilty and don't worry about hurt feelings. They generally are more a feeling of disappointment at most and people get over it faster than you think.
5. If you want to narrow it down as much as possible, this is a great structure to star with:
- Don't invite co-workers - none of them.
- Make a list of your family. Immediate family first. Then, who you have spoken to in the past year. The grandparents.
- Now your friends- the absolute best ones who know you well and the ones who would be there if you were in trouble. Then, the fun ones. If you haven't spoken to them in a year, forget it - 6 months, on the bottom of the list.
and then add extras...
People you haven't seen in a year are probably not very important, and wouldn't be shocked if they weren't invited- they also might not even come.
Don't invite *any* co-workers.
This is a family event, not a work event. If you start picking and choosing between them, it will affect your work environment. Just don't invite any.
Ask yourself if you have been to any of these people's weddings, christenings, other stuff? No? that's your answer. But wherever you must, cut low level friends, never family.
6. You are not required to put "and guest" on the invitation. Unless, two people are significant others. Your wedding is a place for people the family knows and cares about, not a place to meet someone's casual date. Besides, chances are you may be helping eliminate their awkward quest to find that date.
7. ALWAYS refer to 1. and 2.!!! Stay true to your vision and what is important to you as a couple.
