Creating Your Budget-Friendly Wedding Guest List

It makes sense that the simplest way to save money on your wedding is to cut down your guest list, but that’s usually easier said than done.  So, who makes the cut?  Here are some questions to consider:  

-Who are the most important people in your lives?  Obviously, these people are invited to the wedding, because you can’t picture getting married without them there.   

-How much of your extended family (i.e. second cousins, great aunts and uncles, etc.) are you inviting?  A good rule of thumb to follow, for most couples, is ‘no introductions at the wedding’.  This means that if your soon-to-be-spouse hasn’t met a distant member of your family by now, they may not need a place on your guest list.  

-Are you considering inviting some guests out of guilt?  Just because you were invited to a wedding, doesn’t mean that you’re required to invite that person to yours.  A solution to this dilemma is to have a potluck dinner or housewarming party after the wedding and invite all the friends absent from your wedding.  This way, they will still feel included and important to your life.  

-Is it necessary for you to invite children to your wedding?  Including children on your guest lists means considering their tastes when choosing your menu and possibly adding a “kid’s menu”, which could increase your catering costs. It’s common for couples to provide babysitters during the ceremony and reception, which is also pricey.  

 -Are you planning on letting guests bring a guest?  While it’s nice to give your guests the option of bringing a ‘plus-one’, it can also be expensive.  It might be helpful to include a disclaimer on your invites asking that only engaged and married couples invite their significant others, or a more subtle way is to eliminate the ”& Guest” portion when addressing your invitation envelopes. 

-Have you considered splitting your guest list?  Inviting close family and friends to your ceremony and reception than a more extended group to your reception only, is a growing wedding trend.  You can choose a smaller ceremony venue and save on other costs (such as chairs and ceremony programs) while still enjoying the celebration later on, with all who are important to you and your new spouse.  

Narrowing down your guest list is not meant to exclude friends and family from celebrating your special day, but rather to give you the most flexibility in planning the (affordable) wedding of your dreams.  Hopefully, most people understand the financial constraints that couples face in today’s economy and the need for an intimate wedding.