5 SIMPLE TIPS TO TRIM YOUR WEDDING GUEST LIST

 

1.Consider your budget and venue. Before you analyze your guest list, take a step back and talk to your fiancé about your highest priorities as a couple. Are you hoping for a specific venue? Worried about staying under budget? Those guidelines will help you decide how long your list can be and whether you need to cut back in other areas.

2.Agree on a fair split point. Keep things equal by compromising on a guest list ratio. Is it important that your guests are split 50/50, bride’s side and groom’s? Or do you have tons of mutual friends, making it more of a joint effort? It’s important to have an open dialogue about your expectations so that you can avoid any drama or resentment later on — both between each other and among your family members.

3.Cut by category. Divide your guests into groups: immediate family, closest relatives, extended relatives, family friends, friends, acquaintances, kids, etc. Once you’ve both classified your lists, see if you can trim the list by removing entire categories. Maybe you can both nix the young kids, the acquaintances, and the co-workers. Keep going until exceptions start to pop up, then evaluate each possible guest individually.

4.Stick to the present. If you haven’t seen someone in a long, long time, they can probably be considered for your cut list. (Think childhood friends and old acquaintances.) A good rule of thumb: You should invite the people who know your fiancé — the people who have spent time with you as a couple, who play a part in your present lifestyle.

5. Hold to your hard-and-fast rules. Tight on space? If you’ve decided that only your bridal party and engaged pals can bring plus-ones, you should try to stick to that rule. It’s the best way to avoid offending your loved ones, and an easy way to limit extra add-ons.

These simple, straightforward tips are just a starting point — complications are bound to come up. Reach out to both sets of parents for advice, because even if you don’t adhere to all their suggestions, it’s a great way to double-check your list and come to a settling point. Plus, throughout the process, remember to be practical, considerate, and sensitive. Even more important? Step back and enjoy it: you’re bringing together all the people you love to celebrate one of the most special days of your life.

Original post can be found on SavvySugar 

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{Blunders to Steer Clear Of} Offering to Cover Wedding Related Expenses

We’re back today with a continuation of our series on: Blunders to Steer Clear of After Getting Engaged.

Today we evaluate a mistake that is huge.  Staying within your wedding budget is difficult enough.  If a bridesmaid agrees to be in your bridal party make sure you don’t assume she understands what her responsibilities are.

This may be her first time participating in a wedding.  She may accept your invitation if she is under the impression that you are covering her costs.Creative way to ask your BFF to be in your wedding. (if you have not seen these you need to check them out.) Put your own spin on asking your girlfriends the oh-so important question. Will you Be My Bridesmaid?

Don’t Go There

Don’t offer to pay for something you can’t afford. You may have the very best motives but you have your own budget to consider. Being asked to be a part of the wedding party is an honor.  Be clear about your expectations and her level of commitment. Lay out what her responsibilities are as your bridesmaid.

Money talks are a somewhat complicated subject to address.  Talk to her and be honest.  Let her know she’s one of your top choices but you understand if she has other commitments that make it difficult for her to take part.

While you may not be obligated to pay, you should be considerate of how your decisions will affect your bridal party. At the very least, make their financial obligations clear as soon as possible and try to make choices that don’t place too much burden on them.

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{Blunders to Steer Clear Of} Are You Leaving Him Out?

A continuation of our series: Blunders To Steer Clear Of After Getting Engaged

Mistake #3 – Leaving  Your Groom Out of the Planning Process

Get Your Groom Involved in the Wedding Planning

The days of solo wedding planning are behind us.  Not only are mothers and daughters concerned with the wedding plans but so are many of modern-day grooms.  Don’t assume he doesn’t want to help. Get him involved.  Don’t leave him out.   After all, it’s important for both of you to feel connected to this process.

If you’re one of the fortunate brides whose groom wants to be involved in every decision then consider yourself lucky.  Give him his list and treat yourself to a day at the spa.

If you’d like more input then consider these tips.

Let Him Choose

Right at the very start of the planning stages, find out which parts of the planning he wants to be in charge of.   This will allow him to choose what interests him (like finding the right DJ over selecting wedding favors).

 

 

 

Narrow Down His Choices

Yes, I’ll say it.  Men have short attention spans.  Once you’ve narrowed it down give him a short list of options for each stage of the planning process.  Get his opinion from these lists.  Keep your wedding planning conversations with him brief. An hour of debating lavender and gray or hot pink and teal will have his eyes glazing over.

 

 

 His Ideas Count

You wanted him involved, so be prepared when he gives you an honest opinion. Let him know his suggestions matter and are important to you.   Marriage requires compromise.  Be willing to listen and don’t reject his opinions.

 

 

 

Good Negotiator?

Let him take on some of the vendors.  Let him choose the ones that appeal to him.  He may be interested in finding the right DJ, even setting up wedding day transportation. Ask him to work out the prices with vendors, and see what kinds of “extras” he can manage to get included in your packages.

 

 

Honeymoon Planning

Your guy probably already has a plan for your honeymoon.  Almost all grooms are eager to have a direct say in this part of the wedding planning.  So, make a few suggestions but let him come up with options for that too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make it easy for him to participate. In wedding planning, no task is unimportant.  Keep things organized in a way both of you can easily make decisions.

You never know, maybe he’ll even blow your socks off by throwing you a few wedding planning tips.

 

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{Blunders to Steer Clear Of} Wedding Overload

Today we’re back with a continuation of our series, Blunders To Steer Clear Of After Getting Engaged

Mistake number two:  – Taking On Too Much, Too Fast

Hooray, it’s happened! He proposed, you said Yes! You get to start planning the wedding of your dreams.

Pull out that dream wedding album you started when you were a little girl.  You documented your ideas, designs and dreams for your big day in one little book that you’ve kept tucked under your bed since then. You’ve most likely hit the ground running and you want the whole world to know you’re engaged!  You obsessively search blogs, magazines and Google things for your wedding until your brain feels like it’s going to explode!

Continue reading “{Blunders to Steer Clear Of} Wedding Overload”

Blunders To Steer Clear Of After Getting Engaged

Today is our first in a series.  We’ll be talking about avoiding some common mistakes newly engaged couples tend to make.

If you’ve recently gotten engaged, congratulations! As you’re fresh off of your big engagement news and made the choice to get married, it’s fairly certain that you’ll be fired up and psyched about the actual marriage proposal. After all, it’s an occasion that you both will remember (and re-tell your story of getting engaged) for the rest of your lives — as well as one that you’ve probably been fantasizing about since you watched your first Disney princess movie. You know you’ve looked forward to your wedding day since you were a little girl playing dress-up and practicing your walk down the aisle. In a nutshell: You’ll be deliriously happy, purely for the proposal itself, but don’t let your nerves lead you to make one of these all-too-common marriage proposal mistakes. Loosen-up and chill out.  Take a moment to relish in this wonderful time in your lives.  Relax and read about some common mistakes recently engaged couples make so that you can avoid them as you plan for your perfect wedding.  Doing so will help you limit your tension, irritation and frustration as you prepare for your own special day.

Mistake number one:  Wedding Guest Drama

 Now, you really don’t want to start off inviting everybody you know  to your big event. As soon as you do, you really have no way to tactfully un-invite them. You also must be aware of how many people your groom and his family will want to invite for their side of the guest list. Unless you are made of money you will most likely not be inviting everyone you, your fiancé, your parents and your fiancé’s parents have ever known or ever will know to your wedding. You may not have any real concrete plans or thoughts to what your wedding style or budget are just yet, or how considerable the expenses could be. You might be thinking that your wedding should be a big bash that the whole town will want to attend but your “honey” may have a different idea of what the wedding should be. While you may have dreams of a “Rock Star” (i.e. mega bucks) style wedding, he may have more of an intimate(i.e. less costly) wedding. Your budget will help to shape up your guest list and determine the number of invited wedding guests and sad to say, you are bound to let down someone. Do your very best to invite those closest to you and your fiancé. Parents, as a courtesy should have a say too, most definitely if they are helping to pay for the wedding. Be willing to work it out and make a deal but know that it is YOUR wedding So, keep away from making any promises. Just until you both agree on a wedding and reception spending plan. You will be grateful you did!

Next week we’ll be back and talk about avoiding WEDDING OVERLOAD – taking on too much, too fast.

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