To Invite or not to Invite: Our Guide to Prewedding Guest Lists

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Planning the Big Day

Your bridal shower is the time to celebrate your upcoming wedding with all the important women in your life, and you want your bridal shower to be as meaningful to your guests as they are to you. If you need help planning your bridal shower, WeddingChannel.com has the most creative, practical, and money-saving bridal shower ideas just for you. The theme of your bridal shower should reflect your personality and your groom’s, and we have lots of different theme suggestions for you and your bridesmaids to consider. We can guide you down the traditional bridal shower route, or we can give you advice on throwing a themed co-ed bridal shower. We have plenty of suggestions for fun, chatter-worthy wedding shower games and creative catering options. Don’t know what kind of food to serve to your guests? Our appetizer, beverage, tea, brunch, lunch, dessert, and cocktail menu tips will introduce you to foods that will make your guests’ mouths water. If you’d like to skip lunch and plan a fun activity for you to enjoy with your gals, we have advice on organizing all-girl spa outings or rock-wall climbing adventures. Since the bridal party generally takes over the bridal shower planning, we also have recommendations and planning tips written specifically for your bridesmaids. Have any questions about who you should invite to the bridal shower, or how to go about organizing unconventional shower themes? Our Q&A section has all the answers. WeddingChannel.com has everything you need to shower your guests with fun!

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Photo Credits:
Bride Hoodie -- Chung Li Photography
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Appetizers -- Isabel Lawrence Photographers
Outdoor Party –- Isabel Lawrence Photographers
Wedding Survival Kit -- Geoff White Photographers
Chalet Party -– Melissa Rich Photography
Red Dress Cocktail -- Geoff White Photographers

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To Invite or not to Invite: Our Guide to Prewedding Guest Lists

When it comes to all the pre-wedding parties, one of the trickiest parts of planning is figuring out whom to invite (and whom to avoid inviting). Do all of your out-of-town guests gain automatic entrée to your rehearsal dinner? What about co-workers at the bridal shower? Check out our list of each celebration’s must-have invitees (plus the people to add if you want to).

Engagement Party


Invitation Required
Parents of the bride and groom
Grandparents of the bride and groom.
Siblings of the bride and groom
You Really Should Invite Them.
Relatives of the bride and groom
Close friends of the bride and groom

Bridal Shower


Invitation Required
Bride’s attendants
Mother and sister(s) of the bride
Mother and sister(s) of the groom
Grandmothers of the bride and groom
You Really Should Invite Them
Close, female friends of the bride invited to the wedding
Close, female relatives of the bride invited to the wedding
Only If You Want To
Distant, female relatives of the bride
Distant, female relatives of the groom
Female friends of the groom
Flower girl
Don’t Invite
Anyone not invited to the wedding

Bridesmaids Luncheon


Invitation Required
Bridesmaids
Only If You Want To
Mother of the bride
Flower girl

Bachelorette Party


Invitation Required
Bride’s attendants
Close friends of the bride
Only If You Want To
·Casual friends of the bride
Co-workers of the bride

Rehearsal Dinner


Invitation Required
Members of the wedding party
The officiant
Parents and grandparents of the bride and groom
Any children of the bride and groom from previous marriages
Siblings of bride and groom that aren’t in the wedding party
Husbands, wives, fiances, fiancee’s, and live-in companions of above
Flower girl (unless too young)
Ring bearer (unless too young)
Only If You Want To
Out-of-town guests

Day-After Brunch


You Really Should Invite Them
Immediate family of the bride and groom
Wedding party
Out-of-town guests
Only If You Want To
Friends
Additional family members

See More: Guests , Planning , Parties

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