3 Keys to Creating a Guest List You Love

Congratulations on your engagement! Wedding planning can be full of joy, but curating the guest list tends to make couples feel stressed rather than excited. Who you invite to your wedding is a big deal! Use these tips to come up with a guest list that’s stress-free.

How to Make a Wedding Guest List

One of the best parts of a wedding is celebrating this major life event with your loved ones. It may feel tempting to invite everyone you’ve ever met, but unless you’re hosting a wedding in a sprawling castle, you’re going to have to narrow down the guest list.

Size and Budget

Before you and your spouse-to-be make the guest list, make sure you agree on how big or small you want your wedding to be. Keep in mind that size directly affects cost. If budget constraints are tight, consider narrowing your guest list to save on food, place settings, and drinks. Additionally, ensure your wedding venue has room to accommodate the number of guests you’d like to invite. Try a virtual layout designer to experiment with table layouts for different party sizes.

Most weddings in the U.S. hover around 100 people, but no rule deems that to be the perfect number of guests. More intimate weddings can feel just as special as larger parties. If you want a larger wedding than is in your budget, consider inviting some guests to just the ceremony rather than the ceremony and reception, or include other ways your loved ones can celebrate with you, like live streaming your ceremony.

Share the List

Your wedding is equally important to your loved ones as it is for your spouse’s friends and family. Creating the guest list should be an activity you and your partner take on together. Include them in every step of the process, from drafting an initial list to narrowing it down later. Your guests are coming to celebrate both of you, so familiarize yourself with the people your future spouse would like to invite. If there is anyone you don’t already know, ask your partner to share some memories about them so they don’t feel like a stranger on your wedding day.

Plus Ones

Plus ones can be quite a polarizing topic among guests. You will likely have guests request a plus one even though their invitation didn’t designate one. To prepare for this and to keep your guest list from getting out of control, agree on firm guidelines with your partner. For example, many couples decide to offer plus-ones to a guest’s partner only if they are married, engaged, or have been together for a certain amount of time. If you have a wedding website with an FAQ section, you may find it helpful to include your plus-one guidelines for guests to refer to.

Celebrate with Your Loved ones at belle HIlls

The Barn at Belle Hills boasts more than enough room for you to share your special day with your loved ones. Our rustic barn wedding venue, located in scenic Crittenden, Kentucky, is the perfect wedding venue for celebrations of all sizes. Schedule a tour of our family-owned venue today!