Your guest list is very important on your special day. You have a plan and a budget, and your guest list must adhere to both! You probably have your core people in mind, but when creating that final list and mailing out invitations, there are techniques to inviting just the right crowd.

You may want to cross off MIA Family Members. If you haven’t spoken to them in years, you should not feel obligated to invite them to your wedding. Aunt Jenny’s sister-in-law’s ex-husband’s niece and kids aren’t exactly a top priority on your list. Even if you plan to invite over 400 people to see you tie the knot, it will always feel like there is “limited space.”
Remember, your wedding is not the place to fix lost and broken friendships. Just because you were inseparable in high school as teammates on the tennis team doesn’t mean you have to invite them to your wedding. If you haven’t spoken in years, they shouldn’t expect an invitation.

Along those same lines… you may want to invite people from work! Of course, you want the most important people in your life to join in celebrating your special day. Those may very well be people you work with! Just keep in mind you can’t invite the entire office.

Don’t feel obligated to invite everyone who invited you to their wedding. If you attended their celebration 10 years ago, but haven’t spoken since, that doesn’t mean you have to include them on your list.

Another thing to consider when making your wedding guest list is whether or not you want to invite children. Many people decide to limit the wedding guests to 18 and older. This will all be based on your family and your budget.

Last but definitely not least… you do not–we repeat, do not–have to give all of your guests a plus one. It often makes your guests more comfortable if they can bring along a significant other, even if you don’t know them personally, but that just takes away space on your guest list. Although it’s common, no guest should expect to receive a plus one with their invite!