How to Narrow Down Your Guest List

It’s no secret that weddings are expensive. Generally, the largest portion of your wedding budget goes to your venue and catering cost which is most impacted by how many guests you have. Guest lists tend to be a point of contention for couples. There’s often pressure to increase guest lists beyond what the couple intended to appease family members and parents. Don’t let your guest list get out of control! We have some useful tips that we relay to our couples to help make guest lists a little more manageable.

Would you take this person out to dinner?

I always ask this because reality is- if you wouldn’t invite this person out to a nice dinner, why are they coming to your wedding? Your wedding IS essentially taking all your guests to a nice dinner. With costs averaging around $100+ per person, make sure you’re inviting people you want to make this investment on. Now, of course, if parents or others are contributing to your day, this must be given consideration as well!

Do they know you two as a couple?

This one is tricky. With all the phases we go through in life, you may have people at your wedding that haven’t met your soon to be spouse yet due to life circumstances. However, this is a solid rule to follow to help curb a high guest count- invite only those who know you both as a couple.

Will they be there for future life events?

When you throw a big bash for your 25 year anniversary, do you imagine these people being in attendance? When you (if you) have children, will they be at your baby shower or first birthday party? Your wedding is often the first of many major life milestones. It is an honor and a privilege to be invited to and if you are trying to keep numbers lower, these questions can help you to picture who is truly most important.

Have you seen or talked to this person in the last few months?

Have you spoken to this person relatively recently? Have they been part of other big life events? If you haven’t spoken to or seen a person in 6 months or more, you could reconsider inviting them to your wedding. This question is often answered when it is time to collect addresses and couples realize they don’t have contact info for certain people on their guest list.

In conclusion, everyone’s lives and social circles are different so inviting people outside of this guide may be what makes your day perfect! Your wedding day is YOURS so do all the things (and invite all the people) that bring you the most joy.

If you would like help and guidance through all the logistics of your day, contact us!