The ManicaPost
HELLO readers, this week we are focusing on helping the bride and groom to draw a wedding guest list.
When planning a wedding, decide on time how many people you want to invite from either side of the couple and make a provisional list.
Choosing who to invite to your wedding is not always easy, especially if one of the couple has more available relatives than the other.
To start with, decide how many people you want to have at the wedding. Realistically most couples actually invite 100 to 200 people and the rest are usually church members, friends, workmates, etc.
The fair thing would be to divide the list equally – the groom puts forward 50 percent and the bride the other 50.
But we all know this is not realistic, but helps to prevent the part with more guests from being perceived as selfish.
Depending on the difference in numbers between the two sides, the party with less can then add friends, associates, church members, etc.
So who goes on the list first?
Obviously the parents or guardians followed by the couple’s siblings and their partners, if married, and then their parents’ brothers and sisters.
Never add kids first, they will go on a separate list if you want them at your wedding.
Next are extended blood relatives like cousin brothers, gogos, sekurus, tetes, etc.
It is wise to sit down with key relatives from both families and ask them for names of relatives you may not know.
Often-times upsets occur at weddings when an important relative felt left out.
If there are step mothers, step fathers etc, please take note.
I understand that it’s your wedding and you might not want them there, but it is not proper to only invite relatives from one side of the couple.
If you invite one, you need to allow the opposite number to also invite theirs.
After relatives, add friends, special people like boss or workmates, etc.
Do not worry about the numbers at first, put as many as you can because it can dwindle — not everyone will make it and will still be in your life by then.
Also have another list of people whom you may want to invite, but are not as close to you.
These names can be added when there are cancellations or if your budget increases.
Also note that when you invite someone who is not married, but has a partner, they may want to bring their partner along.
If you want to keep your numbers low, then simply indicate on their invite that one person is needed (in brackets). It is not rude.
If you don’t mind the numbers, then indicate that their partner is also invited.
Not everyone needs to get an individual invite if the numbers are huge.
But if that the wedding has less than 300 try to give an invite addressed to the family.
Invites do not have to be in the form of a card, they can even be wired through a WhatsApp group, or special Facebook page or wedding website.
Obviously those who will see the message will be the ones invited.
In reference to presents, feel free to state what you really need.
Some couples already have everything, so they ask for money only on their card. It is not rude.
Rather a couple tells you what they want than buying them something they will end up giving away or dump in their cupboard until some relative asks for it.
That’s it from me folks, God bless and have a great week.
Columnist contribution from Utate Wedding & Conference Venue (0714 487 470).
