Planning out the guest list for your wedding can be one of the most difficult parts. It is your guest list which will impact on every other aspect of your wedding such as the table plans, place cards and working out just how much stationery you're going to need. And, just when you think you've cracked it, your mum points out that you've forgotten your great aunt twice removed and you need to rethink your list!
When it comes to writing your guest list, you should already have decided on roughly how many guests you want to invite based on the type of venue you have gone for (you won't be able to fill a stately home if it's just the two of you plus witnesses and, likewise, a tiny chapel won't fit 300 of your closest family and friends!)
Constructing your guest list based upon the venue you want is crucial, because you will need to know the size of the tables, as well as the general layout of the room. If tables are spaced too far apart, guests can feel distant and isolated...too close together and they will feel penned in.
Once you have finalised your guest list, you can work out how many people you need to send
your wedding invitations to. Remember, you only need one invitation per couple or family, so having 200 guests doesn't necessarily mean that you will need to send out 200 invites!
When it comes to sending out your
wedding invitations, send them out in plenty of time and give your guests lots of time to respond. It's always worth having a list of backup guests, should a number of your guests not be able to make it to your wedding - although obviously it's probably worth keeping it to yourselves that they were on the reserve list!
