I recently met with potential clients who were in the beginning stages of their wedding planning.  During the initial meeting we discussed their preliminary guest count. They planned to invite approximately 190 people to their wedding BUT hoped only 115 would actually RSVP yes.  That means they expected 75 guests (roughly [...]]]>

I recently met with potential clients who were in the beginning stages of their wedding planning.  During the initial meeting we discussed their preliminary guest count. They planned to invite approximately 190 people to their wedding BUT hoped only 115 would actually RSVP yes.  That means they expected 75 guests (roughly 40%) not to attend their wedding.  Unfortunately, this is not the first time I’ve heard this.

Some couples do it because of budget, some because of limited space at the venue they’ve chosen and the list goes on.  Let me just say this is not a realistic way to handle your guest list.  There, I said it…and here’s why.

Venue:  if your venue can only hold 125 guests with a dance floor but you invite 190 you run the risk that you’ll end up with more guests than your venue can accommodate.  You will have to figure out what to do with the  “additional” guests.  Where will they sit? Will you have to call and disinvite some who have already rsvp’d yes? Will you have to change your venue?  Talk about stressing out during your wedding planning!

Budget: If the budget for your wedding reception can only accommodate
115 guests, you’ve invited 190 and let’s say 150 people rsvp to attend your wedding, you could have a financial disaster on your hands.  Will you have to cut back on other items for your wedding? Will you have to ask parents for additional funds? Will you have to take out a loan? Or again, will you have to disinvite some who’ve already said they’re planning to attend your wedding?

Moral of the story is…you cannot create more space where there is none and you can’t always add additional funds to your budget.  So plan your guest list accordingly.

Happy planning!

Before you start researching venues for your ceremony and reception, you’ll need to have an idea of how many guests you plan to invite to your wedding.  Write down all the people you want to join you on your special day…family, friends, their significant others, kids, etc.  Don’t forget to include [...]]]>

Before you start researching venues for your ceremony and reception, you’ll need to have an idea of how many guests you plan to invite to your wedding.  Write down all the people you want to join you on your special day…family, friends, their significant others, kids, etc.  Don’t forget to include yourselves and your bridal party in your guest count.  Then talk with your parents to see who they would like to invite.  The total is your preliminary guest list.

Having a preliminary guest list will help you avoid booking venues that are either too large or too small for your celebration.  Imagine choosing a beautiful quaint chapel for the ceremony or a gorgeous historic mansion for dinner only to realize later that you have 200 guests but the chapel only seats 125 and the mansion only holds 150.  On the flip side, what if you choose a large ballroom at a trendy new hotel that holds 300 people but your guest list only comes out to 100.  While it’s true that having too much space is better than not enough space, it’s still not a good thing.   

Another reason you should have a preliminary guest list is to determine if the reception venue’s catering prices are within your budget.  Typically, you should expect to allocate about 50% of your wedding budget to food and beverage.  If you multiply the number of wedding guests by the caterer’s per person price including service charge and tax (often referred to as + +) and it’s more than half your wedding budget, you may need to consider other venue options or reduce your guest list. 

Hope this helps you see why it’s best to make your guest list first.