Putting together a wedding can cost a lot of money. Whether you’re aiming for a glamorous affair or a more relaxed event, you still need to have a bit of cash saved away before you can see your plans through. Though there are plenty of reasons that a wedding can rack up some high costs, it ultimately comes down to how many guests you invite. The more people you invite to your reception, the more you need to spend on food, drinks, entertainment, space, and everything else. Luckily, you don’t need to get caught up in inviting everyone you know.
Making cuts to your guest list can be a difficult process. Give yourself a moment to look over some of these tips on how to trim down your list in the most efficient way possible and see if you can make the ordeal a little easier on yourself.
A-Listers
You and your partner probably know a lot of people. In order to make your guest list seem sensible from the start, it can be a good idea for you to sit down together and create two separate guest lists. The first list is the one with the names of all of the people you absolutely must invite. This will include family members, close friends, and anyone else you and your partner need present at the wedding. Typically, this list will not take very long to make and can help you see which guests are most crucial to your big day.
Making your second list, on the other hand, can be a bit more challenging. You want this list to contain people who you would like to come to your wedding, but who may not be able to make the final cut depending on your budget. You’ll most likely put work associates and semi-distant relatives on this list. As you begin planning your budget, you’ll get a better idea of which people on your second list are going to get invites and which you’ll have to pass on.
Too Many Plus-Ones
Another problem you’re going to come across with your guest list is “plus-ones.” You and your partner probably have plenty of single friends and family members. Giving out a plus-one invite to everyone can be incredibly expensive. This means you need to make sure you follow a few hard and fast rules about which guests should actually be getting plus-ones and which need to learn how to feel comfortable being alone at a wedding.
Any guests who have been in a relationship for longer than a year should receive a plus-one invitation. Even if you don’t particularly know the girlfriend or boyfriend, it’s bad form to exclude a person’s significant other when at least a year has passed. Of course, anyone who is married, engaged, or living with a partner for years should receive a plus-one invitation. This simple and straightforward rule can help you keep your wedding list in a sensible place.
Three-Year Rule
Even after following all of the above guidelines, you may still feel like your lists are looking pretty long. Another easy rule to incorporate into your guest list cuts is the “three-year rule.” This rule states that you should not invite anyone who you have not seen or spoken to in the last three years. Social media doesn’t count, either. If your only connection to an old college friend is what he or she posts online these days, you may not need this person present at your wedding.
While it can be expensive to invite a lot of people to your wedding, there are a number of ways to make sensible cuts. Follow the tips listed here and you should not no trouble finding the right balance to your guest list.
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