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The normal everyday problems that plague a girl have been in the back of my head all week. You know, problems like: What we should do Saturday night?, When I should start my Economics homework?, and…How in the world do I downsize my guest list?
This is probably one of the biggest problems that I have and will run into concerning my wedding. The original number was 350 but we decided to cut it down to 250 then 300. I think now its gone back up to 350.
I will admit that most of the guest list comes from my side and is mostly family. Honestly, I have only invited about five or six really good friends. I have been blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life that have supported me and that have truly been there for me throughout the years. Naturally I would want to invite them to my wedding. As if that number wasn’t big enough, there are some people my parents say I just HAVE to invite because they are family and would be be terribly hurt. Some of these people I haven’t seen since I was two! I originally just wanted to invite people that have been there for me. But all I’m hearing is that if I invite this person I need to invite their sister and their kids.
I’m sure at some point every bride knows the stress of the guest list. It has to be the one thing that I am really freaking out about right now.I don’t even want to talk about family functions because every time I go to one or run into someone I haven’t seen in forever the first thing they tell me is “Oh I hear you’re getting married” and in my head I’m thinking “Oh man, that’s another invitation”.
So I’m faced with the dilemma of figuring out what I’m going to do with my guest list. We can really only afford about 300 people for catering, 350 is doable but pushing it a little which means a couple of people need to be cut. *sigh* This dilemma remains unsolved, but hopefully by next week I’ll have it squared away.
Anyone else dealing with this? Any answers? Advice?
I was informed when doing up my guest list that "if you invite one, you must invite them all," as well. Well having my Mom come from a family of 12 you could only imagine how much it would cost me to even think about doing this! Also not seeing most of these people since a young age I decided, and with my foot down firm, that I would only invite those relatives that were near and dear to me, period. I don't know how big your family is on "family affairs" but I also found not even half of whom I did invite will even be able to make it. When you do book a caterer, most want a MINIMUM amount of people that will be coming to the affair. That will be the contracted amount. Then when you have a final head count, (like I said they won't all come,) you then pay the balance for who is extra. So start with making sure there is enough room for 350 guests for worse case scenario but only contract for 250 guests with the caterer. Most caterers run this way because no one knows until 2-3 weeks before what they will really have. I have a much smaller wedding. I contracted for 50 guests, and it looks like my head count will be about 74! But if I had contracted for a 100 guests, I would have to pay for a 100 guests even if my final head count is still 74! It works out! Don't fret!