When you are getting married, you need to decide who you are going to invite to the wedding. Depending on your wedding venue, you may have room for 75 people on the guest list, or you could have room for hundreds. There are obvious people you should invite, such as your family and your mutual friends. Beyond that, though, things can get hairy. There are probably hundreds and potentially thousands of people in your lives, so it can be difficult to figure out whom to invite and whom to exclude from the guest list. If you are struggling with whom to invite, then here are some tips.
Inviting the Exes
When it comes to inviting ex boyfriends and girlfriends, things can get awkward. This is especially true when it was a serious and long-term relationship. Sometimes, these relationships end mutually and the two of you are able to be friends afterwards. If this is the case, you may want to invite him or her to the wedding. However, you should listen to your significant other and see whether or not he or she is comfortable with it. If your future spouse does not want to see your ex at your wedding, you should respect that decision. First of all, you don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable or awkward at your event. Secondly, it's important to remember who it is you are trying to please now. Your ex may be hurt that he or she was not invited to your wedding, but that's nothing compared to the hurt your significant other will feel if you invite the ex despite his or her objections. When in doubt, leave the ex out.
What About Co-Workers?
Since you probably spend a good amount of your life at work, you have likely made some friends there. You may be on the fence about whether or not to invite them. Here are a few criteria to help you decide:
- Have you ever hung out with the person outside of work?
- Do you talk about your personal life with this person often?
- Do you think you would be friends with this person if you no longer worked with him or her?
If you answered yes to these questions, take that as a pretty good sign you should consider inviting the friend. However, you have no obligation to invite everyone you know, so keep that in mind when you are deciding whether or not you should include the boss that you cannot stand.
Old Friends
There might be people you haven't spoken with in a while but still consider to be your friends. In general, it's best to include them in your wedding invites. As long as the two of you haven't had a falling out, he or she will probably be excited to see you get married. This can be true for old high school or college friends, people you used to work with, or old family friends you haven't seen in years. On the other hand, if you don't think you have any reason to invite the person, then don't. Don't invite people just because you know your parents would want you to or because you have mutual friends.
Plus One
Having the plus-one option has the potential to double your wedding guest list. It can be difficult to decide whether or not to allow your wedding guests to bring a date. If you are on a budget or worried about space, then it's probably a good idea to leave that off of the invitation. However, if you want to invite someone who is married, then put both names on the invitation so they know they are both invited. Another thing to think about is whether or not you want children at the wedding. Make sure to state that on your invitation as well.
Working through a guest list can be tricky and time consuming. However, it's important to make sure you have everyone you want at your wedding while avoiding inviting people you don't want there.
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