Common Wedding Guest Lists Questions Answered!
We got your common marriage etiquette questions answered by a professional! Who remembers that scene in Father Of The Bride where George Banks + family are sitting around the table whittling down their wedding guest list amid two heaping stacks of names, designating which first drafts guests will make the cut & which will not? And remember George reaching a bit of a breaking point in the process?? Well, it certainly doesn‘t have to be that, but it’s not uncommon for couples to face a lot of pressure in creating their guest list. How does one make sure they don’t over-compensate for regrets and undercompensate for their ideal number of guests? Rest assured knowing you’re not alone and at the end of day you and your partner will be surrounded by the best people in your life!
What if I have a gigantic family and my fiance has a small family. Can I invite more people than him?
The first time I heard about the concept of a guest list was during my engagement party. We were having a small gathering at our house and my mother-in-law asked me if she could invite some of her friends who live nearby. She said that she would like to show off her new home and thought that it would be fun to include them. I told her that we did not need any more guests and that we were fine with just inviting our immediate families. She insisted on bringing these people anyway. At the end of the night, I found out that she invited over twenty people. I was shocked and upset. I felt bad for my fiancé, who was trying to make sure that everyone had a good time, but I knew that we could not afford to accommodate all of these extra guests. I explained to my mother-in- law that we could not add any more people and that we needed to cut the guest list down to only the people that we could comfortably fit in our living room. She agreed and we ended up cutting the list down to around ten people.
What are the most important things to consider as you build your guest list?
Your guest list is important because it determines who gets invited to your wedding. The first step is to decide how many guests you want to invite. This depends on the size of your venue, your budget, and whether you want to include children. Next, think about your priorities when creating your guest list. Who do you want to see most? Family members, friends, and coworkers. Then, add any additional guests that you would like to invite. Finally, create a spreadsheet where you can keep track of who you have invited and who hasn’t responded yet.
How do we decide who can bring dates?
The best way to choose who brings a date is to ask everyone who wants to attend. It’s important to remember that people may want to bring someone they don’t know well, so make sure you include some questions about their relationship with the person you’re asking to bring along. The main goal is to make sure those who come aren't alone and don't feel awkward around people they don't know well.
Is it rude to have a child-free wedding? How do we convey that in the invitation?
There are many reasons why people choose to host a child-free wedding. Some couples simply don’t want children at their wedding because they feel that children are too much trouble. Others may have had bad experiences with children in the past and do not wish to subject themselves to the stress of dealing with children again. Still others may just prefer to spend time with their friends and family without having to worry about children running around. Whatever the reason, it is important to remember that no matter how you decide to handle the situation, you will always have guests who still want to bring their kids to your wedding. Just make sure that if you choose to not have children at your wedding that you say that in a nice way in your invitations. Also, be prepared for some people to not show up to your wedding.
Do we have to invite someone to our wedding if they invited us to theirs?
Not at all! The number of guests you invite depends on many things, like how much money you want to spend, how large your wedding is going to be, and whether or not you want to include family members. You may decide to invite only close friends and family members, or you may choose to invite all of your friends and family members. It's up to you.
What do we do about guests who have not responded to the invitation by the RSVP deadline?
The best way to get people on board with your wedding plans is to make sure everyone knows about them. This includes guests, family members, and even friends who may not know anything about your upcoming nuptials. Make sure you send out invitations well before the date of the wedding so that people have plenty of time to reply. If they don't reply try reaching out to see if they forgot.
Can I uninvite a wedding guest?
Usually once someone has already received a save the date it's a big no no to uninvite them to your wedding. This is why it's super important to go over your guest list a few times and if you're unsure about inviting that uncle that likes to drink and cause a bunch of drama just don't even invite them! It's better to err on the safe side than to regret inviting the wrong people who might ruin your wedding day.