CUTTING COSTS? Cut the Wedding list! But how?
Before we get into this, make sure you cut costs in all the ways I’ve given you previously. After all, this is your special day and you want as many special people to be there that you are able to have.
First of all, you must invite the close relatives of the bride and groom. Then, of course, you must also invite friends. Next, business associates that mean enough to you to have them there, as well as close friends of both parents. It would seem like that last group could be cut, but please remember, the bride and groom’s parents have a special part in this day and will really want the friends they love to be there. I would never cut those people, but then again, I’m a parent!
Be careful when it comes to family. We invited my daughter and her fiancee’s aunts, uncles and first cousins. If you make a rule like that, then you have to apply it across the board. If you start picking and choosing, you will surely offend people big time! But, if that’s what you want to do, then do it, but know that it just is not proper etiquette.
But what about inviting a friend and they want to bring their boy/girlfriend? Make a rule and stick to it. If you’re going to allow that for one person, then you really should allow it for everyone. What we did was if the person was obviously going to marry that person, or if it was a very long standing relationship, or if they were engaged, then they were invited. This cut 20 people from our guest list that people wanted to have come with them. Right there, that’s a huge savings!
What about kids? That is totally a subjective decision. In our case, we allowed only children that were part of my daughter’s and her fiancee’s immediate family. That worked for us. If people are bold enough to ask if they can bring their children, explain, very nicely, that you are not allowing kids at the wedding, because if you allow one family to do that, everyone else will get offended. Then explain that the only children that will be there are close family.
We have had a dilemma in the past in a wedding that I was consulting on, where the bride’s family was paying for the wedding, and the groom’s family was demanding a ton of guests to be present. If it’s a reasonable request and is just a couple of extra people, for the sake of future relations, I would allow it, if financially feasible. If they want to invite a huge number of guests, be very honest with them (keeping the future bride and groom out of the middle of this) and tell them that you can’t afford that many extras. Explain to them that you cut your own guest list because of that. But also tell them that you don’t mind if they invite 100 extra guests, but if they do, perhaps they could consider paying for them. That should do the trick. They will either shut up or pay up…either way, you win. Please know though, I’m not picking on the groom’s parents. It could also happen the other way around!
Hopefully these guest cutting tips will help you. And hey, if you have tons of money, invite anyone and everyone! Just make sure that those that you really want to share your special day with are there. It makes all the difference in the world.
Much happiness coming your way,
Bella
Unique Wedding Favors
First of all, you must invite the close relatives of the bride and groom. Then, of course, you must also invite friends. Next, business associates that mean enough to you to have them there, as well as close friends of both parents. It would seem like that last group could be cut, but please remember, the bride and groom’s parents have a special part in this day and will really want the friends they love to be there. I would never cut those people, but then again, I’m a parent!
Be careful when it comes to family. We invited my daughter and her fiancee’s aunts, uncles and first cousins. If you make a rule like that, then you have to apply it across the board. If you start picking and choosing, you will surely offend people big time! But, if that’s what you want to do, then do it, but know that it just is not proper etiquette.
But what about inviting a friend and they want to bring their boy/girlfriend? Make a rule and stick to it. If you’re going to allow that for one person, then you really should allow it for everyone. What we did was if the person was obviously going to marry that person, or if it was a very long standing relationship, or if they were engaged, then they were invited. This cut 20 people from our guest list that people wanted to have come with them. Right there, that’s a huge savings!
What about kids? That is totally a subjective decision. In our case, we allowed only children that were part of my daughter’s and her fiancee’s immediate family. That worked for us. If people are bold enough to ask if they can bring their children, explain, very nicely, that you are not allowing kids at the wedding, because if you allow one family to do that, everyone else will get offended. Then explain that the only children that will be there are close family.
We have had a dilemma in the past in a wedding that I was consulting on, where the bride’s family was paying for the wedding, and the groom’s family was demanding a ton of guests to be present. If it’s a reasonable request and is just a couple of extra people, for the sake of future relations, I would allow it, if financially feasible. If they want to invite a huge number of guests, be very honest with them (keeping the future bride and groom out of the middle of this) and tell them that you can’t afford that many extras. Explain to them that you cut your own guest list because of that. But also tell them that you don’t mind if they invite 100 extra guests, but if they do, perhaps they could consider paying for them. That should do the trick. They will either shut up or pay up…either way, you win. Please know though, I’m not picking on the groom’s parents. It could also happen the other way around!
Hopefully these guest cutting tips will help you. And hey, if you have tons of money, invite anyone and everyone! Just make sure that those that you really want to share your special day with are there. It makes all the difference in the world.
Much happiness coming your way,
Bella
Unique Wedding Favors
