It pretty amazing how many people you know once you start contemplating getting them together for a single occasion?
You might have thought your circle of family and friends was small until you sat down to make a guest list,. You take a deep breath and think of making your list of 100 people before your parents arrive with their own list and the list swells.
Not every couple wants an enormous wedding nor can they afford one. You may have pictured yourself getting married in a small church thereafter have lunch or dinner at your favorite restaurant. The idea could have been perfect with 50 people but in reality the number doesn’t seem to go below 150. So would you rather cut down your guest list or accommodate more guests.
Another issue when the guest list swells is the budget. Big weddings call for big budget so you either trim the guest list or you make a big wedding on a small budget.
First and foremost, you have to set your priorities right. Do you need all these people at your wedding? If they are close family and friends, it might be worth a small lavish do. You may have to consider a venue that supplies food , staff, tableware as part of the whole package. It is cheaper to hire a DJ instead of a band. Also think of having your wedding off season so as to negotiate better with supplier rates.
Most of the time some of the people on the list are the kind who you or your parents would need to first ask. If such people do not add a thing to your wedding atmosphere, chop them off the list. One of the best ways is to have a destination wedding. A lot of people who you feel obligated to invite would not manage a trip. Also, people understand that destination weddings are smaller.
Another way to keep the numbers small is to set strict guidelines. Depending on the size of your family, you may draw the line at inviting siblings and first cousins and nobody distantly related. Avoid inviting someone just because of the family connection. If you have not seen the person for the past five years, there is no reason to invite them. As for friends who you do not know their kids names, just keep them off. Remember the groom should follow the same rules as you.
Incase you find yourself in a tight situation, rather than invite everyone, keep it simple and exclude them all. It is also very ok not to invite children to the wedding. You can politely include this on your invitation card.
Having two lists of who should come for your wedding is also fine. And list A for those that must attend and list B for those who you can do without. Once you are clear about you’re sure about your A list priority list you can then chose from list B. the problem with this method is that you have to keep checking RSVPS and send invitations earlier to accommodate the juggling.