One of the most difficult things about planning a wedding is creating your guest list. Once you start thinking of the people you want to invite, more and more people come into mind. Soon, you realize you are way over capacity and/or your budget! See below for a few guidelines to help you easily create your guest list without additional stress.

Number Of Guests
Speak with your fiancé about the amount of people you want to have at your wedding. Depending on your budget, you will need to decide whether you will have a large wedding or more intimate one. Be realistic with the guest count to avoid extra stress later on!

Consider Your Parents
Whether it is your parents or your in-laws, they may want to include guests of their own to your wedding. If they are heavily contributing to your special day, talk with them and take into consideration of the guests they would like to invite. If not, it is ultimately your choice as to  whether or not you would like to include anyone on their list.

A and B List
Create an A list with all the people you have always imagined at your wedding! These are the people who are most important to you such as your family and childhood close friends. Invite these people first and if necessary, consider creating a B list. If people from your A list decline your invitation, move onto your B list and start inviting guests from there.

Cutting Rules
Think of some basic cutting rules as you make your list. This will help you trim down the number of invitations until you get to your goal amount. Some easy rules would be:
– If you have not seen nor talked to each other in a certain amount of time.
– If you are only inviting them out of guilt.

Plus Ones
Always remember to keep plus ones into account. This drives up the amount of guests and seats so always include them in your total number. If you are trying to plan a more intimate wedding, make sure to communicate this to those whom you did not give a plus one. As you create your guest list, remember that this is your special day! You should be surrounded by none other than the people who love and care about you.