The Guest List

You had no idea it would be so hard to create. And cut. While we can't offer you a solution, we can help you to find one of your own.

• Traditionally the bride and her family and the groom and his family, divide the guest list in half. But you can come up with a combination or compromise that works well for you.
• Where is your dream wedding going to take place? Chances are there is a capacity consideration. If your heart is set on a reception site that only accommodates 125 and you have over 200 guests on your list -- you may find yourself faced with a difficult decision.
• Start compiling an address list as soon as you possibly can. You would be surprised at how long it takes to get everyone's addresses. And don't forget to confirm proper titles and salutations.
• Use our Guest List Manager tool to keep track of all your guests, tally up responses and note special needs. It's vitally important to keep one master list with all pertinent information.
• Understand that approximately 15-20% of your guests will decline your invitation. If there are people you've had to cut because of your budget or the size of your reception location, have your B-list invitations ready to mail out as regrets come in. Just make sure you order about 20% of your response cards with a reply date that is two weeks later than your A-list response cards. Despite what may be the best of intentions, guests who think they've been invited at the last minute tend to feel second-rate.
• Make sure you have extra invitations for keepsakes for yourself, all the attendants, the officiant and both sets of parents.
• You should send a separate invitation to each guest if they are over the age of 12. Younger children can be included with their parents.
• Make unilateral decisions about whom to include on your guest list (for example, invite all aunts and uncles, but not cousins). Be consistent and no one's feelings will be hurt.
• When it comes to including dates for single guests, there are no steadfast rules of etiquette, so use your discretion.
• Etiquette says you are required to include spouses, fiancés and live-in partners with each invited guest.
• Decide whether or not you are going to include children. And then, apart from flower girls and ring bearers, don't make exceptions.