Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
Deciding who you should invite to your wedding can be one of the most stressful and nerve-wracking parts of getting married. There are so many people you’d like to invite, and there’s also your budget limiting your invitations. It doesn’t matter whether you are planning a large or small wedding, you will still need to sit down and figure out who you will invite. Making this decision is usually anything but easy, and having to tell people no is always the worst. Here are my tips to help you determine who you should invite to your wedding, and who you should skip.
Be realistic
While your wedding day should play out like a fairy tale, crunching numbers is a big part of the plan. Your budget and your venue will determine the maximum amount of people you can invite, and you should take this into account before you put a single guest on your list. Each guest won’t just cost you in a venue fee, but also food and bar tabs as well. If you invite too many people, you’ll end up holding your breath each time you get a RSVP causing you even more stress. If there is room for your budget, or if you end up getting more no’s than you had anticipated you can add later.
Stick to these rules
If you are unsure whether or not you should invite someone, we are going to make it so much easier! If you have to answer any of these as a no, they shouldn’t come:
-
Have you ever met or spoken to this person? Family is the only exception here as you might not know all of your future spouse’s family members.
-
Have you spoken to them in the last year? If you haven’t spoken to someone in the last year, they’re probably not worth the invite.
-
Are you inviting them only because you feel guilty? If the answer is yes, then cut them from your list.
Coworkers
Just because you work with them doesn’t mean you have to invite them. You may feel torn about whether or not to invite your boss and other coworkers. The best way to determine whether or not you should invite these people is by answering a simple question: Would you spend time with them outside of work? If the answer is no, they probably don’t need an invite.
Plus ones
Determining whether or not your guests should have a plus one can be extremely challenging. Adding plus ones can really raise your overall guest count. The last thing you want to do is drop a ton of money on people you don’t even know! A good rule of thumb for plus ones is as follows, if they are married, engaged, living together, or have been dating more than one year, they should be invited. You can, of course, make exceptions to this rule, but this is the acceptable standard.
Friends of the family
Your family will become the biggest influencers on your wedding day guest list. They will try to convince you that because you went to someone’s wedding years ago, or because they went to college with someone, they should be invited. Remember that you should be mindful of your family’s suggestions, but that it is YOUR day. Inviting a bunch of people you don’t know could mean having to say no to people you actually want there. If you have the room and budget to spare, then feel free to invite as many as you’d like. If not, consider talking with your family members and ask them if they really need to be invited.