The Asher Lane Blog

When it comes to your wedding day, choosing the right people to invite can prove daunting. How many is too many? Should you invite extended family members? There are a lot of things to consider, especially if you don’t want to hurt any feelings by not extending an invitation.

We’ve put together some handy tips to help you pull off your wedding guest list with the least amount of stress possible, so read on to see exactly where to start to make the process easier to handle.

Consider Your Venue Capacity

Depending on the venue you have chosen for both the ceremony and the reception that follows, there might be a maximum number of people you can invite. You can’t risk fire safety and comfort by putting too many people in one room, after all! If you haven’t already, get in contact with the venue to know what their capacity numbers are so you know what your guest limit is.

Keep an Eye on That Budget

Weddings don’t happen often, so it’s natural to want to “break the bank” when it comes to your budget. That being said, things can add up quickly. Make certain you can afford enough food, drinks, and fun to keep everyone happy. If need be, keep the list shorter to help keep costs lower.

Family First

Whether they’re found family or chosen, family members should be a factor in planning your guest list. If you have many aunts, uncles, or cousins, knowing where to draw the line can be difficult. The best way to keep everyone happy—or at the very least, understanding—is to play by the same rules for both sides of the family. If you only invite parents and grandparents on each side, for example, the extended family will be understanding as you’re not showing favorites to one side or the other.

Getting Started

Now that you know a few things to keep in mind when making your selections, it’s time to get started in making your list. The easiest way is to create a large list first: put everyone that you might possibly want at the wedding on a list, and see how many names that is. From there, you can start whittling away if need be. Remember this great rule of thumb: ask yourself if you’ve spoken to the person you wish to invite within the past year. If you haven’t, perhaps an invitation is not needed, and there’s someone who you interact with more often that you can invite instead. Don’t forget to also consider plus-ones in your total guest count.

Stagger Your Invites

Once you have gotten the list finalized, it’s time to send out invitations! Typically it’s respectable to do this eight to ten weeks before the wedding itself to give your guests time to make certain their schedule is clear and they have the perfect outfit to wear for the occasion. Once you start getting back RSVPs, you might receive some rejected invitations, which can mean that those who just missed the cut could be extended invitations. In this way, you can stagger your invitations to make certain you get the numbers that you already had planned for.

The team at The Asher Lane is ready to help make your big day beautiful. Shop our bridesmaid dress collection and see your bridal party looking its best at your wedding. If you have any questions or queries, contact us today!