Wait, who are you inviting? And oh- surprise- I’m going to bring a
date!
Yes. It’s time to talk about… the guest list. After our budget
creation, our next order of business was the guest list. The guest list is
honestly one of the hardest aspects of your wedding. You have glorious friends
and family but, the question remains- can you afford to invite EVERYONE?
In most cases, it’s no. But, remember that doesn’t mean you don’t
love someone. It simply means that your pocket book isn’t that deep. Being on
the other side of weddings has taught me probably the most important note in
planning my own wedding. Every guest, you pay for. You pay for their food,
drinks and overall experience. Every
guest has a dollar sign attached to their name. Yes, it’s a black and white way
of looking at the guest list- but it’s true. Additionally, venues often have a cap of guest
that you can invite. For instance, our venue only holds 150 guests.
Now, here we are. Shea and I want an intimate wedding. To be
honest, I never really thought I would be the, “I want to get married in a
princess dress and dance the night away” type of girl. Planning weddings is
what I do. I deal with clients on a daily basis and help others plan their weddings.
The last thing I really wanted to do was spend the money and plan my own
wedding. One night, after a few glasses of champagne, champ is by far my
favorite, my father and I made a bet. I had told my family for years that I
wanted to get married in a vintage 50’s dress at the courthouse. Maybe some
rice would be thrown, and we would dine at our favorite restaurant for the
reception. I was confident that this was my vision. So, my father and I shook
on it. Now, here I am engaged- planning a wedding. Why you ask? Well, when I
told my mother about my courthouse plans she replied, “Weddings aren’t just for
you. They are for your friends and family.” I understand what she said- they
are a celebration. Now here I am planning our wedding, and well I am glad I changed
my vision. Sorry Dad. Although my vision has changed, I still want to create an
intimate celebration, like I had dreamed of, with just our close family and
friends.
We chose the number 120. We made a deal that we will not go over. And
honestly, I won’t let it happen. Shea wrote down a list of his family and
friends. I created my own list. Currently we are around 100. But, we are both
noticing that as our time goes by, our parents and even ourselves; realize we
left a few loved ones off. Over the next year, I’m sure it will grow and we
will need to create a Plan B list. What is a Plan B list? Well, as RSVPs
return, you will realize that some guests will not be able to attend. Well,
hello Plan B. Do you have a distant family member that you would like to invite
but had to prioritize, well put them on the Plan B list. Simple and effective,
I promise you.
As for dates, ohhhhhh wedding dates. As a planner, this is my
advice: If a wedding guest has a serious significant other and will not know
anyone at the wedding- give them a plus one. If you are inviting a close group
of gal pals that you can all place at a table- have them enjoy and celebrate
together. Be decisive, and don’t be afraid to write in the number of guests
allotted on the RSVP card. I can’t tell you how many weddings I’ve worked where
we are short chairs, table seating, or even meals due to the surprise date. Be
as precise and detailed as possible to limit mistakes and unknown factors on
your day of.
Only time will tell what changes will be made in our guest list.
Our guest list may not be set in stone until Save the Dates go out, but there
is one thing we do know, that we want to spend our wedding days with those we
love and not go in debt doing it.