Many couples are opting for smaller, more intimate gatherings where their dollars are spent on quality vs. quantity; having a luxurious, lavish affair for 75 people rather than a cookie cutter convention for 350 people. The problem is, where do you draw the line?
Make your guest ‘wish’ list and decide on the exact cut off number. This list is the closest people in your life, the people you cannot live without. Decide immediately if you will be able to allow single guests to bring a date or parents to bring their children, stick to your guns and be prepared to have to defend this decision. These are people who have been with you for your whole life, people who will be there forever and ever, not co-workers or bosses or recent neighbors.
From the beginning, tell anyone who asks that you are planning a small, intimate gathering. This will prevent most from asking if they are invited. Be polite and tell them honestly, ” Jason and I have decided to have a small wedding and we will only be inviting family and our closest friends.” Of course, this means you should not be constantly talking about wedding plans to co-workers who are uninvited, save the juicy details for the maid of honor or your sibling. Remember, if you are having pre-wedding parties, they are restricted to invited guests only. Can’t invite people to a bridal shower and not invite them to a wedding, after all.
Keep the wedding party small. There is no hard and fast rule for this but, if the guest total is 75, stay with one or two attendants. Kate Middleton had only one bridesmaid and her wedding was enormous, keep that in mind.
The benefits of a smaller wedding are many; you can spend more money on things that really matter to you like an exclusive location, maginficent meal, extraordinary flowers, glamorous gown, extravagant shoes, elaborate invitations, A-list photographer and a sumptuous sweet table. In the end it truly is a matter of quality versus quantity.
-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago
