Creating a wedding guest list can be painful to say the least…
As you are making your list and checking it twice (and 3 times, and 10 times), keep in mind these rules of thumb and common pitfalls when it comes to crunching the numbers…
Photo Credit – Heidi Zeigler Photography
5. If you have already chosen a venue, make sure you do not invite more people than your venue can accommodate. While it is commonly safe to assume 15% of your invitees will decline, there are exceptions to every rule and I’ve seen more guests accept than expected and the venue wasn’t compatible.
4. Keep in mind that your guest list will eventually become a multiplier for many elements of the wedding and will therefore directly affect your budget beyond just the cost of catering. The more guests you have, you will need more waiters, tables, linens, chairs, centerpieces, pin spot lighting, invitations and a bigger dance floor.
3. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself reigning in your guest list so you can include those design elements you’ve been dreaming of or alternatively letting go of one or two priority items so you can invite your co-workers. Sometimes you can’t have it all.
2. Set ground rules. Maybe those ground rules apply to how many friends each side of your parents can invite or possibly the rule is no one from high school or everyone gets a date. Once you find the rules that work best for you, set them and stick to them.
1. Check with your planner for suggestions on the best format for tracking your guests – for example, the LOLA pros have developed a spreadsheet format that works for the caterer, the calligrapher, us as planners for the day of the wedding and for you in keeping track of your guest details throughout the planning process.
