Attendants and Guests

How Can I Cut the List

Yikes! Our guest list is too long. How do we trim it without being unfair to anyone?


First of all, if you and your fiancé were planning on inviting people from your workplaces, you might want to reconsider. Nixing all office invites is a simple way to pull in the reins on your ever-growing guest count.

Next, talk to your parents about their must-haves for your party. If they’re planning on inviting friends of their own, give both sets of parents the same limit (for instance, five couples per each set)—and keep it at that. A parent may insist that specific people must be invited, but assure you that they will definitely not accept. If space is really tight, don’t risk it. Weddings are special occasions, and “Relax, she’ll never come” often turns into “I can’t believe she’s coming!” You can send wedding announcements to these people in place of actual invitations.

Another way to reduce head count is by eliminating the “and guest” if a friend or relative is not in a serious relationship. As long as your unattached pal knows a few other people at the wedding, she’ll be fine. Opting for an adults-only reception can also stop the guest-count blues.

Finally, if your guest list is still bursting at the seams, keep your family invites to close relatives like aunts, uncles and first cousins. If you’re having a really small wedding, distant relatives shouldn’t take it personally if they have to sit this one out.