One of the most difficult and emotional part of the wedding preparations would be the organizing or formation of the guest list. It would be hard to invite everyone linked to the bride, the groom, and of both their parents. This will also seriously damage your budget and a very big crowd is not really desirable for a gathering like this.
Before you will be able to start cutting down or trimming down your guest list, you have to make one first. Think of the kind of wedding you will want to have, the theme or motif of that special day.
Will it be a big celebration or a small family gathering? Also consider your budget for the wedding. Allocate your budget to fit the theme of the wedding. Budget for the materials and decorations, for the reception, the menu, the give away, and etc.
Now that you have the allocated budget for the different things needed for the wedding, look into the reception venue and food budget. With the budget in mind, you will now have the number of how many heads you will be able to include in your guest list.
Begin to compile names individually, the groom’s list, the bride’s list, your parents’ list, and your in-laws’ list. Combine the list that each of you have, compare it with the number of people your wedding guest list can accommodate. If you have gone over the number (like most cases), this is where the agony of cutting down the guest list begins.
In cutting down the guest list, keep in mind the people who are really close to your fiancé and your family (including your in-laws), those who have supported you truly and those who really matter to you. Invite your dearest friends and close relatives. Crush out unfamiliar names, or those whose presence will seem less significant however; if your mother would want to invite her dearest friend then let her.
Consider your mother’s feeling and give her importance to; she is after all your mother. The in-laws can invite as much as you can, whoever is paying. It is both your wedding so be fair even if the other party is not paying, give them their share of guest list slots. Do not also be pressured to invite someone just because they invited you to their party before, which is not the way it should work. Do not invite people and assume that they are not coming; you might be into a surprise.
In making the guest list, remember that this is a special day and think of the people whose presence will matter most, is significant, and important. Do not get frustrated (although it can get frustrating), just remember that it is your big day and things should be planned and organized well ahead of time.
