Too Many Mouths to Feed?

So you are planning your wedding, which means you want to be surrounded by loved ones to share in the celebration.  Something about a wedding brings out the desire to invite your BFF from kindergarten, your 2nd grade teacher, and your parents' co-workers from three jobs ago; not to mention all of the people currently in your life.  Of course everyone who has ever meant something to you should be there, right? Often the guest list is a sore subject among brides, grooms and their families.  It's hard to rationally decide who makes the cut.   Now if you are working within a budget, and most brides are, that means some tough decisions are going to have to be made.  The cold harsh reality is that every person that attends your wedding is another mouth to feed.  The reception is the biggest part of your budget, and that hinges mostly on the number of guests you have, along with what the guests are offered for food and drink.

I see it over and over, the battle of the guest list.  It's certainly not an easy task.  Need to cut your guest list, but don't know where to begin?  Here's a little tool from Wedding Bee that may be helpful to you:



This is a systematic approach to narrowing down your guest list, and I think it's great.  It asks fair questions that get you to a sensible answer.  If you are in the middle of the guest list struggle, give this handy little tool a try!

Another guest list slicer is an adult reception.  This will depend entirely on your individual situation, but if there aren't children that play an integral part in your wedding, this may be a great option for you.  Sure they are a smaller cost per person, as they wouldn't be hitting up the bar and they may qualify for a lesser meal price, but the little tykes do add up!

Made all of the cuts you can, and still over budget?  There are definitely ways to keep your guest list where you want it, and stay within budget.  It means sacrificing somewhere, but it's up to you where the sacrifice is made:

• Choose less expensive food options
• Limit alcohol by having only beer and wine or a shorter bar time
• Having your wedding earlier in the day allows for less expensive food options, and people typically don't drink as much

Hopefully these tips will lead you down the path to finding the perfect balance of guest list and budget.  Happy planning!

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