Hi lovelies! Emma here with our latest Ask Emmaline wedding etiquette question. Have you thought about how to cut the guest list for your wedding? Perhaps you have a limited number of space available at your ceremony or reception, you dream of a small intimate wedding, or perhaps you need to stay on budget. Whatever the reason, we’ll tell you three easy tips the pros use to cut the guest list with ease. And relax… there’s no reason to feel guilty! It’s tough stuff, picking guests for the list; but we’re here to help you reach that perfect guest list number. Promise.

Our question comes from bride-to-be, Jennifer, who says,

“My fiancé and I just started planning our wedding and the guest list is getting big quickly. The problem is, our reception hall doesn’t hold more than 200 people, which is less than what we already put on our list. How can we cut the guest list without feeling bad?”

A. Cutting the guest list is definitely a tricky part of wedding planning. When you’re blessed to have so many wonderful and supportive people in your life, it’s hard to cut the guest list without a little tinge of guilt. The good news? Once you get through it you’ll be past one of the most stressful parts of wedding planning… so there’s that. :)

The first thing you’ll want to do when making your guest list is to start with absolute musts: begin with the people you will definitely invite, such as close friends, family and plus-ones. Once you complete that part, how many do you have left? Make a list of “maybes”, and as you work through the list, really consider each person. Are you still very close? Would your wedding day be the same without them?

Here are three ways to cut the guest list in half — and what most people consider when planning a guest list.

3 Tips to Cut the Guest List

1. The Past

When considering a guest at your wedding, will he or she be a part of your future? Have you been in touch lately, in the past year at least? If you’ve lost touch, it’s OK to cut them from your list.

2. Work Friends

Also, don’t feel pressure to invite everyone from work: if you aren’t friends outside of work, it’s perfectly acceptable to not invite them.

3. Adults only

Another tip: consider an adult-only reception (without inviting children).

Flow Chart: How to Cut the Guest List

For even more help, try this flow chart. It might just work wonders for your guest list!

And there you have it! The bottom line: once you finalize your guest list, stop feeling guilty! Move on and have fun planning! It’s best to get the guest list out of the way so you can have fun with the next steps: save the dates, invitations, and themes!

Discuss: Do you have to cut the guest list?

Discuss below ↓ Do you have questions regarding how to cut the guest list? Did you find it to be an easy task or a difficult one to cut guests from your guest list? Are you having a big or small wedding? Comment below!

Hope it helps!

xo
Emma

P.S. Have a question? Send it in! You know we’d love to hear from you + help you out. Thank you to Jennifer for sending us this question!

P.S.S. Want more wedding planning advice? Get the book!