So the wedding/special occasion is coming up and you are super excited about your dress, how the venue should look, what type of food you would want served and the worse one, choosing a color scheme. But wait, that's not all. One of the most stressful elements of planning your wedding or any type of event is, yep, you guessed it. The Infamous Guest List. Here are a few things to do to guarantee a successful event.
Create a Practical Budget
Wait a hot minute, I know what you are thinking, that its nearly impossible to create a realistic budget. You might be right sis, but I'm here to tell you that there is hope and something can be done. The first question to ask yourself is what is the most we are willing to spend for the entire event without it turning into a 'rice and beans' type of honey moon. Yikes!, I know that's scary. But truthfully, what is that big number that you are willing to spend. List every singe item down on paper to get a true sense of what you are up against. From the dress, venue, vendors for the day, down to napkins and Trash bags to clean up after. IT ALL ADDS UP. Having that overall number will steer you in the right direction in terms of where you shop. If you have a healthy budget, the guest list might not be too big of a headache for you. Other wise lovelies, lets move on to step 2.
Prioritize Loved ones
If its a wedding, you and your partner need to sit down and prioritize how many total guests should be in attendance. Those are the first name to go on the guest list. Then you can list others such as friends, other family members, co-workers etc. in order of importance to your big day. Ask yourself this question, would this be a face I would like to see as I walk down the aisle? If you hesitated that's your answer sis. its a no.
Do not Rush
Well this really depends on the time line that you have. But ,generally, do not rush to complete your list. If you have a few over your target number, don't panic, you can adjust it later. Some people might not be able to travel, some might not be able to take time of work, prices from vendors such as photographer, caterer, bartender etc. go up with the more people on the list. Not rushing will allow you to prioritize what is absolutely necessary and you can prioritize around that. Not everyone will make the cut sis and its okay. The goal is for you and your partner to have a memorable event.
Clearly Indicate the plus one policy
Most guests assume an invitation automatically means a plus one. That is not always the case. So its your duty to state clearly what your plus one policy. All of this affects that guest list which inturn affects almost everything.
Get a Guest List Manager
Last but not lease, sis, gone are the days of trying to track down who said they could make it, are they bringing a plus one, following up with people etc. A guest list planner does all that for you. Check it out. There are several out there. You can just google 'guest list tracker'.
Now go and dance your heart out with a solid guest list management strategy. The dance floor is yours.
