Your Guest List Dramas Sorted!

Make Guest List Dilemmas a Thing of the Past With Our Easy Guide

- Catherine Dean

So, you choose your guests, and send out invites, yes? If only. In theory it should be this straightforward, but it’s a rare bride who avoids a minefield of family politics and tricky etiquette. Whether it’s plus ones or little ones, distant cousins or can’t-stand uncles, here’s how to steer your way through in style...

Where to start THE KEY FACTORS AFFECTING YOUR GUEST NUMBERS ARE venue capacity and cost. The usual starting point for most couples is to settle on a number of guests, then divide that between the two of you. However, wedding planner Alexandra Merri (thebijoubride.com) suggests otherwise: “Forget the even split, as the most important thing is to be surrounded by people who truly want to share in your celebrations.” There’s no point dividing your numbers equally if your fiancé’s family is twice as big as yours, and if you’re basing your decisions around who you both value having there, you’re less likely to run into arguments.

Start by drawing up an ‘A list’ and ‘B list’ of guests. Dividing people into ‘must-invite’ and ‘would like to-invite’ categories will help clarify your thinking, and you can send out save the dates to your A list slightly earlier, then extend invites to your B list if spaces arise.