Guest List Tips

The guest list.  It drives so many parts of the wedding - including the venue choice and budget.  But it can also be VERY stressful.  We love these tips from The Knot for managing your guest list.

1, Make a plan on how you are dividing up the list
You will quickly find out in wedding planning it's not just your day!  Your parents and your fiance's parents have also been looking forward to this day and celebrating you with people important to them.  A good way to divide up the list is 50% of the guest chosen by you and your fiance, 25% chosen by your parents and 25% chosen by your fiance's parents.  This can shift and often will - especially if you or your fiance have a big family.  Talk through this early on so everyone is on the same page.

Fall Outdoor Wedding in North Ga

2. Dream big and then narrow it down
Start off listing everyone you would love to invite - don't worry about budget or venue size now.  This gives you a master list if you decide to add on guests later.  From there, determine what you can realistically fit based on budget and venue.  Narrow down your official list to this size and start sending invitations.

Garden Style Wedding Flowers

3. Create guest list rules
Determine a few guide lines for guests who don't make the list.  Haven't talked to them in more than 3 years?  Probably not.  Neither of you have ever met them or heard of them? Nope  Don't think you will still be talking to them in a year (or after you leave your current school/job/etc)?  Uh uh.  Figure out what makes sense for you and your families and use these rules.
4. Make and A-list and a B-list
This helps you make the most of your guest count.  Send out the A-list invites and ask for RSVPs early.  If you have several that can't make it, then you can send out your B-list invites.  Make sure these have a later RSVP date so they don't realize they were on the B-list!

Modern Farm Style Wedding in Metro-Atlanta

5. Fill out names on the RSVP cards
If you want to make sure your guests don't add to your list on their own, go ahead and prefill the names on the RSVP cards.  This will cut down on adding children, plus one's, etc. and help you stick to your guest count.
For more tips and the full article, check it out on The Knot here.