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Creating a Guest List

One of the most important aspects of planning a marriage is deciding who you are going to budgeting. !

The Basics: Budget, Personal Preference & Venue Capacity

Depending on what type of a wedding you expect to have, where and when it is scheduled to take place, the price per person can vary significantly. You can spend as little as $50 to as much as $250 per head. Sometimes it is worth it to the bride and groom to reduce the lavishness of a venue just to have the opportunity to invite everyone they wish to attend their reception. However, don't forget that people don't just cost money to wine, dine, and entertain, but there are also the beach weddings call for the smallest groups, while lavish banquet halls need to be filled with around 150 people. Don't forget that many people will decline the seating arrangements before starting! * '''For long, complicated guest lists, charts work best.''' ** Since you'll have up to four guest lists (from the bride, groom, and each side of the family), you'll need to keep everyone grouped together by relationship. Grouping people by their relationship with either the bride, groom, or their families keeps you from improperly seating people later on. ** When listing guests, you can use an "X" to mark them on the list, or you can use the A, B, C system for extra clarification. ** You might even want one column to check off who you have sent an invitation to, and who has sent back the RSVP card. ** Use this chart as an example. You can create your own on a program like Wedding Resource Page for tips on which Web sites offer such planners. |}

Tips on Picking and Choosing

* '''Who's paying gets the ultimate say'''. If you and your soonspouse are footing the bill, don't be afraid to tell your parents that they have a limit on the number of guests that they can invite. If they simply insist on inviting 20 more guests than expected, tell mom and pop that they will have to chip in the extra cash to have them included on the guest list. On the other hand, if the parents are in charge of the bill, you will have to succumb to their wishes for the most part. Just make sure that you get some of your favorites on the list too. * '''Remember who is nearest and dearest.''' Just because you hung out when you were 15, doesn't require you to invite this person to your wedding. To quickly weed out distant friends, relatives, and other acquaintances, consider whether you have been in contact with them within the previous year and whether or not you expect to be involved in these people's lives (or vice versa) five years from now. If your potential partylost" friend or family member description, don't bother including them on your list. * '''Leave quarrels at the door'''. Often there will be issues among parents, bride, and groom about who is coming and who shouldn't come. Instead of fighting about it with parents, remind them that it is ''YOUR'' special day. To the bride and groom: no matter how much you loathe who your husbandbe wants to invite, it is probably very important to them, and you should try your best to respect his or her wishes. If you are worried that certain folks will simply clash with each other if you invite them, just give a heads up with the invite and explain to how important is it to you that he or she be there to celebrate with you. Also, be extra careful with the seating so as to not put anyone in uncomfortable positions. * '''Don't offer an invite just to return the favor'''. You'll be invited to many weddings in your pre-marriage life. However you simply can't invite everyone who has ever invited you to their wedding. Choose those who are closest to you and let the others down with tact (see below about how to do so). * '''Children optional.''' Many couples opt for an adult-only wedding, making things cheaper and a bit calmer overall. There is nothing wrong with letting guests know that for your special day, they are going to have to hire a sitter. This usually works best when you are having an evening wedding versus a morning or afternoon wedding. * '''Guests on the dogirlfriends or boyfriends, etc. * '''Careful choosing cohush with those you invite. Explain to them that you don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but you would rather invite a select few of your closest pals from the office. Limit those you choose to the people with whom you socialize outside of work, those who you would actually consider being friends and not just acquaintances.