David and Victoria Beckham, Sir Elton John and Kanye West all made the invitation list to the Royal Wedding but from what we hear this would have never happened if Prince William didn’t speak up and take charge of his wedding invitation list. Sources have stated that Buckingham Palace had their own guest list in mind when the Royal Wedding was announced and it didn’t quite match up with the wedding couple’s list.
“I came into the first meeting for the wedding, post-engagement,” he said. “And I was given this official list of 777 names — dignitaries, governors, all sorts of people — and not one person I knew”
“They said: ‘These are the people we should invite.’ I looked at it in absolute horror and said: ‘I think we should start again.'”
Whether you are planning a Royal Wedding or an intimate affair before you start verbally inviting people, it’s a good idea to sit down with your fiancé and the family members that may be helping with the wedding costs (parents, grandparents etc.) and answer some questions. Here are Andrea’s Fashions tips:
How do you envision your wedding?
Are you and your fiancé in agreement on what size wedding you both want?
Who are the most important people (immediate family, close friends) that you could never imagine them not sharing your day with you?
Once you have the basics out of your way you need to delve into the details. All of the below points should be taken into consideration when planning your wedding guest list. Remember that this is your big, special, non-drama-filled day…planning and expressing your needs is the key to its success!
You are NOT Welcome
Sometimes the process of elimination of guests is easier in the beginning planning stages. Communicate with your fiancé and the people who are helping pay for the wedding on who is absolutely not welcome due to budget restraints or sometimes personal preferences.
Here are some persons to consider when planning:
Plus+ One Guests: If you are funding your own wedding, providing food and drink for a lot of Plus+ One guests can get expensive. Take into consideration the people who are single and how many additional people you would be willing to invite to your wedding.
Exes: It should go without saying but maybe your fiancé needs a refresher in ex-significant others in attendance to your wedding. Of course there is always the exception to the rule but we can safely say that 99.999% of the time exes are off the guest list unless otherwise discussed with your fiancé. This is definitely a savings in your budget and drama.
Children: This is quite a hot-topic on if children are invited or not but plan early if they are not going to be included in the festivities. If you don’t want children at the reception but are kind enough to provide childcare remember this is an added cost.
Business Acquaintances: Whether they are your acquaintances, your fiancés, your parents, your future in-laws or in Prince William’s case Bucking ham Palace… it’s important to know “when-to-say-when”. If parents are paying for the wedding in full and want to tack on another 100 guests that you do not know try to find a compromise to make everyone happy. Maybe cut back the number of guests or opt to make the ceremony private and reception open to all. Whatever the case doing like Prince William and nipping it in the bud early is the only way that you will be able to start putting your drama-free, dream wedding together.
Pay Up
If your parents, family members or Great Britain are footing the bill for your wedding you should pay mind to how many people they are thinking of inviting. Some of these topics may be sensitive but if they want to invite 200 extra people and you want an intimate wedding. Remember…from the get-go you better clear the air before the plans get away from you. If you are paying for the entire wedding yourself it is necessary to still take into consideration your family’s requests for specific guests; however you will be able to negotiate more in your favor– since you are after all paying for the wedding.
Bottom Line
The number one thing you need before you start any wedding planning is a budget. The second thing is a level-head; be realistic, don’t shoot for caviar if you are on a macaroni and cheese budget. You and your fiancé should agree on the points that are most important to you. Perhaps you are like Prince Williams and price is no object but you just want to be surrounded by your close family and friends. Most likely you are like the rest of the population (not Prince Williams) and you decide what is most important to you according to your resources. Remember that a wedding is an investment that comes from you, your fiancé and your family–negotiate and compromise but most importantly don’t lose sight of the most important day of your life.
What are your thoughts? If someone is paying for your wedding do they have free reign of who to invite?
Andrea's Fashions 