Narrowing the Illusive Guest List

If you are anything like me, you want everyone you know to attend your wedding. What can I say? I have very close friend circles! This post will hopefully walk you through and help you narrow down that massive guest list you've pulled together-after all, your great aunt Gertrude's cat's boyfriend doesn't really need an invite.....

Don't let your guest list get so out of hand you spend well over your budget.
(Apologies for the Marvel goofiness-that's how I roll)
Source:  Sciencefiction.com

First, let me start out by saying you're not alone. I think that nearly everyone has this problem if they're planning a traditional wedding. No worries though, it might not be as terrible of an endeavor as you may be envisioning.

The process is fairly simple, start with the all encompassing guest list. From there, go through with your fiance and separate into 2 categories: Absolute Must (generally family and very close friends) and Optional (Anyone who doesn't fit into those 2 groups). 

Unless you want your wedding to be like The Oscars, you better start narrowing your list.
Source: Deviant Art

Take stock here, and see how many more people your budget will allow. With that number in mind, start sifting through your "Optional"s. Ask yourself:

1. How close are you? 

2. When was the last time you spoke to or saw them? (Was it last week, or last year?)

3. Would either of you be upset/heartbroken if this person wasn't there?

Other tips: 

• Leave all of those distant twice-removed cousins from your list. 
• Limit the number of people your parents are allowed to guest list (unless they're helping pay for the wedding, then give them a little more room to wiggle).
• Don't let people bring +1s along. Here's a great way to implement this rule while minimizing the risk of offending anyone. (Be sure to seat them all together to mingle and maybe? let the sparks fly!)
• You don't have to invite coworkers or bosses-unless they are very close to you (in which case they fall into the very close friends category). Not inviting coworkers is the easiest way to cut back-they are usually the least offended-especially if you tell them that you're keeping it strictly family (Make sure you don't tell that to one co-worker and invite a different one though...)
• If you are pretty sure you'll never see them again, don't feel obligated to invite them. 
• Don't feel like if you were invited to their wedding you are obligated to invite them to yours.

Remember, there may be some guilty feelings but cutting down your guest list is one of the quickest and easiest ways to save money and have the wedding you're dreaming of. If the wedding of your dreams is one with everyone and their mom (literally), then just know you will have to minimize your cost someplace else-just make sure that's what you want or you'll be regretting it down the road, once it's too late.

Narrow that guest list before it's too late and other costs have to be cut......
Source: The D Tales

Here's an awesome info-graphic of this process to streamline the trimming process. Remember, you want to be able to live off of food once you're married, not rice and beans trying to make up the cost of inviting everyone on your block and beyond.  

Source: The Wedding Stripped Bare

Best of luck!