01
Building the guest list
Write everyone down first, then sort into must invite, would love and nice to have.
- Start with addresses for everyone
- Three tiers
- Agree family allocations early
- Check against venue capacity
Planning the wedding · 6 subtopics: Guest list & etiquette
Building, trimming and managing the guest list — plus the etiquette questions everyone asks: plus-ones, kids, coworkers and seating.
02
Cutting the guest list
Clear rules applied evenly make cuts fair: no coworkers, first cousins only, plus-ones for couples only.
- Set rules once
- Ask: have we spoken this year?
- Would we pay for their meal happily?
- Avoid exceptions
03
Plus-ones and children
Invite established partners by name; plus-ones for single guests are a kindness. Decide a children rule and apply it to everyone.
- Partners of married and engaged guests
- Plus-ones when someone knows no one
- All kids, family only or adults-only
- Say it on the website, kindly
04
RSVPs and chasing replies
Set the deadline three to four weeks before the wedding and chase missing replies personally.
- Deadline 3–4 weeks before
- Collect meals and dietary needs
- A friendly reminder a week before
- Final numbers to the caterer
05
Seating charts
Seat by groups, place family closest, and give everyone at least one person they know.
- Start after RSVPs close
- Group, then place tables
- Older guests away from speakers
- Divorced parents get their own tables
06
Tricky guest-list etiquette
Exes, bosses, estranged relatives and people who invited you to theirs — the rules are yours, but consistency keeps the peace.
- You don’t owe anyone an invitation
- Coworkers: the whole team or none
- B-lists go out at least six weeks ahead
- Never invite to showers but not the wedding
Articles on guest list.
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How to make (and cut) a wedding guest list without drama
A-lists and B-lists, plus-one and kid rules, family allocations and the questions that make cutting easier.
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Engagement party etiquette: who hosts, who’s invited, what to do
Everything you need for a relaxed engagement party, from timing and guest list to gifts and toasts.
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Who hosts and pays, who to invite, timing, themes, games people actually enjoy and thank-you etiquette.
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27 ways to save money on your wedding that guests won’t notice
Real savings from the guest list to the send-off — without making the day feel cheap.
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Traditional and modern wording, when parents host, divorced parents, adults-only, dress codes, and what never goes on the invitation.
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Table shapes and capacities, where to seat family, divorced parents and friend groups, and a step-by-step method.
Free tools for guest list
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