You can't have a party without guests, right?! Choosing who to invite to your wedding can be very difficult. There are some people you know you for sure want to come, some you may wonder if they should be invited, and others that you really don't want to come but may feel like you have to invite them. Making your guest list and making these difficult decisions has to be done no matter what!
Photography: Britt McNeil Photography
Planning & Design: Reverie Weddings & Events
Make a List With Your Partner
The first thing you want to do when making a guest list is sit down with your partner and write down your closest family members that you know you want to invite. After you have brainstormed all your family members, then move onto your closest friends. Once these are all set, you may want to stop there or keep going with more people you don't want to miss out on the big day.
Extended Family
Extended family can be a bit tricky when making your guest list. One thing to think of when making your guest list is that if you are inviting aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended cousins, you might as well just invite them all. You do not want to leave any of them out, unless you have a huge family you may want to draw the line somewhere.
Children
It is 100 percent up to the couple if they want to allow children at their wedding. You can decide if you want them to come or not, and make sure you put your foot down. No exceptions. It's suggested to keep that rule across the board and not make any exceptions to anyone.
The rule of thumb to making sure only the adults are invited is to only name the parents on the envelope instead of putting the family's last name. By putting just the names of the adult's on the envelope they should get the hint that the kiddos are not included.
Return the Favor
If you had a friend who invited you to their wedding 5 or more years ago, you may not need to invite them if you haven't seen them since. On the other hand, if you were invited to a friend's wedding 18 months ago, you probably should invite them. This can be a tricky one for sure.
Plus One's
You do not have to allow every single one of your guests a plus one. A rule to go by is if they are in a relationship that you know about, then you allow them to bring a plus one. No matter what, it is up to you.
No matter who you decide to invite or not invite, don't feel bad about people who may have not made the cut. After all, it is your special day!