Detroit Area Wedding Guide
Start your Guest List
Start Your Guest List
You have announced your engagement and are excited about the wedding reception so you start your guest list. Compiling the guest list is probably one of the most difficult tasks for the engaged couple. On one hand, they may wish to stay within a budget and on the other hand they do not want to hurt any feelings. To help narrow down the guest list, we make a few suggestions:
1. Start the guest list early so that you have an idea how many to book for the hall. Since halls are reserved for months or years in advance, you need to consider the number on the list immediately. If your have your heart set on a particular hall, then the number it holds will be the maximum number on your guest list.
2. Make your list broad to start off. This way you will not miss people and have time to consider who should be eliminated. Also, have both sets of parents supply their lists so that all names are on your master list. Let your parents know that their list of names is in no way a final draft of the guest list.
3. You need to stay on budget so be realistic. There are only two ways to keep within your budget - either cut the list or cut expenses! To help you keep within your budget, use the suggestions below.
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4. After your list is made, start removing people from the list. For example, work associates on both sides of the couple and neighbors who have just moved in. Continue to remove names that are not appropriate guests at your wedding.
5. Pare down the list over a period of time. If you have a couple weeks to work on your guest list, you may think differently in a day or two about a particular person. Letting the list lay for a few days may help you to remove more names.
6. Do not verbally invite people. If they get removed from the list, you now have to explain why they are not invited or you must add them back to the list incurring unnecessary expenses.
7. The number on your guest may depend on who is paying for the meal. For example if your parents have agreed to pay for 150 people, then you either need to come up with the difference yourselves or restrict your list to 150 names.
8. Will children be invited or not?
9. Will single people be permitted to bring a guest to the meal? Remember that by adding meals for people you do not know will add to your catering bill substantially. It might be wiser to let the dates of the invitees come to the dance part of the reception only. Also, to avoid hurting the feelings of people who have long-term relationships that are considered part of the family, address the invitation with both their names.
Before you start to eliminate the names on your guest list or maybe even before you start to compile the list set firm ground rules. Knowing in advance what is permissible and what is not will make the removal of names easier. Both the bride and groom should agree upon the following.
whether children should be invited
whether guests of invitees should be allowed
whether work associates should come
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where to draw the line on extended families and long lost relatives
ex-girlfriends, ex-boyfriends, ex-wives and ex-husbands
neighbors
social club friends of the bride and groom and the parents
parents' work associates, parents' neighbors
Please remember that your guest list usually always includes the officiant. It may also include any musicians that played at the church and are playing at the reception too like a harpist or flutist.
Ten Suggestions to Keep within Budget
If you must invite all the people on your list and you cannot cut down your guest list, then use some of these suggestions to cut costs elsewhere enabling you to invite the number of people that you prefer.
1. Cut expenses from something on which you saved money because it was less than you thought or something that is not as important as having a longer guest list.
2. Offer a buffet instead of sit down plate meal.
3. Ask family to cater the meal. If there are family members that like to cook, then they might save you the labor charge for a caterer.
4. Supply your own linens. You might be able to pick up nice table cloths and napkins at the dollar store.
5. Buy dollar store candles and decorations instead of buying from the party shop.
6. Eliminate wine served at the table during the meal.
7. Order your cake from the grocery store instead of the bakery.
8. Order your flowers from the grocery floral department instead of the florist.
9. Make up trays of your own fancies and desserts for the dessert table. Buy slabs of bars and squares from the grocery store and arrange nicely on your own china or crystal plates. Maybe your family might even bake for the occasion.
10. Buy your invitations from a stationery store instead of the printer.
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