Tips for managing a guest list

Who is at your wedding is one of the most important parts of your big day. Sometimes it is not possible for everyone you know to attend for various reasons. Here are a few Do's & Dont's for Managing your Guest List

• Start by speaking with your family, you want to extend a certain number of guests to both sets of parents. Traditionally you would divide the list in half but these days you may have a good amount of cross over as a couple. Set limits with your family. Work together.

• Count in couples and plus one's. It is often forgotten that a single person still needs to be extended a plus one invite.

• MAKE your list with all the input, review your numbers. Then CUT!

• I know cutting a guest off the list is hard but a few things to consider when looking at who to cut.

• If you have not spoken to that person in over three years and they are not a blood relation, CUT them.

• If they are on the list because you feel guilty. (Your were at their wedding or they are your brothers best friend etc.) CUT them.

• BE REALISTIC! Yes that is capitalized if your venue is a max of 200 and your on a tight budget do not exceed your numbers. This will lead to bigger issues.

• Make an A and B list. Your A list is the must have invites, everyone you can't imagine not being at your wedding. When you start receiving the RSVP's when you get those regrets then start sending to someone on your B list (in order of importance).

• If you did not get a response back, call them. It could have been lost in the mail, forgotten to be mailed. Make sure before you cut them.

• Compare RSVP's to hotel reservations. Sometimes people reserve their room and forget to send the RSVP back.