There are a few aspects of wedding planning that can get truly tedious. One of them is to finalize the guest list. Whether you want to invite every person you ever meet, go for an intimate ceremony, or do something in between, figuring out how many people to invite is never an easy task. Here, we're breaking down the steps to deciding your final guest count for your big day.

Things to Consider

The golden fact of wedding planning is more guests means more cost. The trickle effect of total guest count includes food and beverages, rentals, flowers, linens, stationeries, transportation, etc. So, be aware before adding just an extra 10 people. Next, the difference in vibes between a wedding with nearly 500 people and a 50-person wedding, is huge. It's totally up to you which vibe you prefer for your big day. If personal touches or dreamy details are your game, then consider scaling down. Also, generally, wedding venues come with their own accommodation capacity limits. Unless you're getting hitched on private property, with more wiggle room, the capacity factor of your wedding venue is directly determinant in finalizing your guest count.

The Process

This is where things get tough and you’ll either need to stick to your plan or modify it as needed. As stressed earlier, budget is the most critical component in figuring out the size of your wedding guest list. So, have an honest conversation with your partner, family, and the planner, with a clear view of your overall budget range and probable cost per head. Now, great writers always write first and at the earliest! It's very important to get a pen and paper and start writing the names of the people you want to be there on your big day. It will make prioritizing easier based on your projected cost per head. Lastly, it's not wise to rely on the typical 80-85% of guests' return for your wedding invitation. People are generally more enthusiastic about any celebration as a chance to travel and let down their hair. So, only the people you care about should make your final guest list.

The Final Say

Unfortunately, it's tough to determine who makes the final call in the entire planning and execution. If some family members are contributing financially, they're obviously entitled to an opinion. The best way to prepare the wedding guest list is to make it a collaborative effort among the involved parties, with the bride and groom having the final say.