The Guest List

Deciding who you want to attend your wedding is a not so easy task, it might not seem that way at first, but if you have a tight budget, you better make sure every person on that list matters. I have heard it all before, Joe worked with my dad for 20 years, 15 years ago, he saw you grow up and then fell off the face of the earth, and now your dad wants him at the wedding? I don't think so. The following are some steps to ensure that your guest list is refined and is in the budget.

1. Both the bride and the groom should go into a separate room and write down the first 50 people that they would want at there wedding. Then compare lists and see if any names match, or don't match. This is an easy way to ensure that the people close to the two get priority.
2. Do not invite anyone who you haven't had a conversation with in the last 5 years ( and 5 years is pushing it, I'm being nice)
3. Do not invite anyone that after 30 seconds of thinking about it you can't remember their last name or first name, "You know, Jim's daughter, the red head?" NO!
4. Do not invite people who you aren't directly friends with or related to in order to make other friends or parents/family happy, It's your day, not theirs!
5. If you only want Bill and Lucy to come, and they happen to live with their in-laws, specify on the invitation who is coming ie, Mr. and Mrs, Bob and Lucy Smith..... putting and family on any one's invitation is setting yourself up for unwanted guests.
6. Do not feel obligated to invite co-workers unless you have built a tight knit friendship with them (that includes your boss)
7. Please do not invite an insane amount of people (300-500+) because you think the more people the more money stuffed envelopes there will be, it really doesn't work that way ( Someone I know got married and had fun opening cards without a penny in them)
8. Just because your sister wants a table of all her friends to attend, it doesn't have to happen
9. Do not plan your list without considering whether or not you want children to attend your wedding, some of your guests may see it as a negative thing. Children and young and fun, I personally believe they should be invited also!
10. DO NOT invite past crushes, ex-girlfriends/boyfriends/husbands/wives, and that goes for the ex's of guests unless you ask them! People who make the bride or groom uneasy or uncomfortable.