You’ve got the engagement ring, you’re set to marry the man of your dreams, and the planning can begin. When it comes to the time for you to assemble the guest list for your wedding, there’s always the chance you’re going to offend someone. It might not be a pleasant thing to consider, but it can and does happen – so all you need to know is how not to do it?
Learning from mistakes of the past can help get your wedding guest list in order – so here’s some of the worst faux pas you can commit.
#1 – Making Assumptions
If you’re from a large family, then your wedding guest list can get expensive very quickly. When you’re suddenly paying per head, you begin to evaluate who you actually need at your day.
It’s tempting to think that the cousins you haven’t seen for years or the Uncle who always forgets your name won’t want to come to your nuptials. The problem is, they might – and if you don’t invite them, then a family storm begins to hover on the horizon.
Always sound people out and see who wants to come. Social media makes this easier than ever, of course. From there, you can talk to people and explain the cost, potentially making the switch to just inviting them to a party after the reception instead.
#2 – The Destination Wedding Problem
There’s no doubt that a destination wedding has considerable upsides. You get to relax, hand over much of the organizing to a destination event management company, and look forward to wedding photos that are bathed in sunlight.
The problem comes with friends and family, many of whom won’t be able to attend your big day. Some might be offended by this. This is a problem, given that you can’t be spending a fortune to invite everyone – the benefits of a destination wedding mean you naturally trim the guest list, after all!
The best solution is to plan a party at home after the actual wedding. You could even consider streaming the ceremony itself online, so anyone who wants to see you say “I do” doesn’t have to miss out on the moment.
#3 – Inviting “… and Guest”
The problem with open wedding invitations – addressed to the person you know, and them able to pick who they take with them – is that you might end up paying for a meal for someone you don’t know. If the budget is tight, then this is pointless – you’ve got to be more clinical.
Instead, ask people who they wish to bring to your wedding. If someone is single or likely to be attending alone, include on the invitation some ideas for who they could speak to at the ceremony and who they might know.
This tactic also neatly sidesteps them bringing someone you don’t want there, or might cause a problem for another guest. You don’t want your old friend from school turning up with your maid of honor’s ex-boyfriend – so it’s best to have a clear list and address invitations accordingly!
#4 – Not Being Organized
It’s important to have a full list of who is invited and who isn’t before you send a single invitation. Don’t invite people verbally or casually mention it when chatting; have a formal list who are all formerly invited at the same time. Not doing so can cause massive confusion, which is the last thing you want at such a stressful time!
