MAKING YOUR WEDDING GUEST LIST || WHERE TO START & WHAT RESOURCES TO USE
Creating an Initial Guest List
Start by dreaming big – envision the people you would love to witness and share in your special day. Think about family, close friends, and those who hold a significant place in your hearts. Once you have this expansive list, be prepared to make some tough decisions. While it's tempting to invite everyone, practical considerations like venue capacity and budget constraints often necessitate a bit of editing.
Reflect on the type of celebration you and your partner envision. Is it an intimate gathering or a grand affair with an extensive guest list? Your wedding vision will influence the number of guests you can comfortably accommodate.
It may help to categorize your potential guests into two groups – the 'must-haves' and the 'nice-to-haves.' The 'must-haves' are the individuals without whom your celebration would feel incomplete. The 'nice-to-haves' may include acquaintances, colleagues, or distant relatives. This categorization can be a helpful guideline as you refine your list.
How do you feel about plus ones- Do all single guests receive a plus one? Do all adults receive a plus one? Are plus ones reserved for those who are engaged or in serious long-term relationships? Are there no plus ones?
How do you feel about kids in attendance- Are all kids invited? Are only kids of close family members invited? Are no kids under 18 invited?
These questions are a personal preference- and that is the beauty of it being YOUR wedding, YOU get to decide what feels right for the two of you. Personally, we gave our plus-ones on a case-by-case basis and we invited most children. We created our initial guest list together and then sent the list to our parents to see if there were any special people close to them they would like included. Having an initial guest list gives you a number range to narrow venues down with. Once the planning gets further along, you can limit the list down as you see fit before sending out save the dates!
Resources for the Guest List
From personal experience, a spreadsheet is the most effective way to organize the guest list information. Utilizing a spreadsheet allows you to share it with your fiance and any family members you want to have input on the guest list. If you have a wedding website, the website host -such as The Knot or Zola- has the option to upload your spreadsheet so you can easily order pre-addressed envelopes and keep track of RSVP responses. One of the benefits of doing online RSVPs through your wedding website is the site automatically has the ability to keep track of which guests are coming, any meal selections, special considerations, etc. We personally used The Knot for our wedding website and were very happy with our experience! We were also able to input our guests’ phone numbers or emails to send automatic updates regarding the event or follow up on RSPVs we had yet to receive. The Knot created an exportable spreadsheet feature that allowed us to easily give our vendors the guest count, names, and food selections.
You do not have to do it alone!
If your families offer to be involved in the planning, this is a great area to enlist their resources in the beginning! Once you have nailed down your guest list, you can share it with your families to fill in any missing addresses or contacts that you may not have.
