Who is usually invited to the wedding?
Let’s start with the must-have guests. The following list does not have to be strictly followed – only the bride and groom should decide who will attend their wedding.
However, wedding invites should be sent to:
- Immediate family
- Close friends
- Those who invited you to their wedding events and you came (those are usually your friends and family)
You can also send wedding invitations to your co-workers, neighbours, distant relatives, mutual friends or your former classmates. A specific group of guests are children and partners of your guests, about which we’ll talk later.
How to create your wedding guest list
Usually, there are different numbers of guests at the wedding ceremony, the wedding lunch, which often consists of only close family and relatives and the wedding buffet in which close friends and other guests can spend time and enjoy the food.
So how can we create the ideal invite list? The easiest way to make your wedding planning go smoothly is to take three sheets of paper and write who we want at the ceremony, on the wedding lunch and the bash. Start with the most important people, or create two columns – write the ones you’re sure you want to see in the first column, and the ones you’re not sure you want at your wedding in the second one. This way, you’ll achieve a list of names that would probably be a lot longer than you thought.
Now comes the more difficult part full of tough decisions – the selection. To make it easier, cross the names on the wedding guest list based on the capacity of the place you’re wedding will happen. For example, if the area can only take 50 people, start crossing out the names from the bottom, and you’ll soon get to the maximum number of guests.
Uninvited wedding guests at your wedding day
Sometimes an awkward situation may happen when an uninvited guest arrives at the wedding while thinking he was invited. If you are lucky, you will find out about the person preparing for the wedding before the big day, meaning you can solve the problem simply. If you want to get rid of the person you didn’t invite, be nice and try to clarify the situation. For example, you can say that you would love to see them at your wedding ceremony, but that the wedding lunch and reception is only for family and close friends.
However, the uninvited guests usually show up unexpected at your wedding. It would be inappropriate to send the person home, so it’s best to welcome the guest and play it cool.
What is the reason for unexpected guests arriving at your wedding?
1) Mistaking wedding announcement and wedding invitation
So many people still think that a wedding announcement means that they are invited to the wedding. So how can you avoid this confusion?
You can give the announcement only to those who you want to invite. Then, send the announcement card to others after the wedding day.
If you are inviting everyone and don’t want to deal with the invitation card, you should mention that the announcement is also an invitation to the wedding. We are sure that the confusion goes both ways, and many would think that it’s just an announcement.
2) Partners and children of the guests
It’s safe to say that most people think that the invitation to the wedding also belongs to their partners. Some even take their children or the whole family to the wedding.
If you’re okay with that, everything’s just right. However, if you don’t fancy uninvited guests, make sure to mention that the invitation applies only to the mentioned person.
3) Those who invited you to their wedding
If you’ve been invited to somebody’s wedding in the past, it’s safe to say that they are sure they are welcomed at your wedding. However, it’s possible that you’re planning a private and small wedding or you are not so close to the person. If that’s true, don’t bother inviting them.
How to handle divorced parents?
The number of divorce parents these days, unfortunately, is still elevating. Therefore, the possibility that your or your partner’s parents are divorce is high. That kind of situation can make some trouble while making your wedding guest list. Of course, your mum and dad may be still friends of that they don’t hate each other. If that’s your case then you don’t have to worry about a thing.
However, it can be hard to deal with divorced parents that can’t stand each other or can’t even look at one another. There is no right or wrong way of dealing with this circumstance. It all depends on you and your current situation. If you want your parents to be a part of your wedding, don’t even think about letting them sit next to each other. Also, let them know beforehand that the other parent will be present on your big day so that the family reunion goes without difficulties.
How much money will you probably spend?
Your wedding budget is highly individual. How much money will one guest cost you depends on the quality and quantity of the meal, how much alcohol will you serve, and what kind. So what can cost you the most is the menu and the food you’ll feed your guests. However, we can at least look at the average cost of food per one guest.
- Wedding lunch (the toast, appetizer, soup and main course) – usually from £8 to £50
- Wedding cake – usually from £27 to £134
- Evening buffet (drinks, desserts, pastry, hot and cold meals) – from £10 to £50
Keep in mind that your wedding day should be unique for you and your future spouse. So don’t care what others say and think – not everyone likes what you like and can accept your ideas. And if anyone on your wedding guest list doesn’t feel right, don’t send them wedding invitations and enjoy your wedding without them.
