| We all know that with COVID19, there comes limitations. To be fair, we still had limits prior to COVID19. Currently in the State of Illinois, weddings are allowed to have 50 people in attendance. Some couples already had their wedding planned with a few hundred people while others are just engaged and trying to navigate who to include. Here are steps to help you narrow down who gets to physically be at your wedding:
Discuss Your Wedding Day Goals
What kind of wedding do you both invision as a couple? A big wedding (200+), medium sized (130) or small intimate wedding (50)? Currently, big, medium, and small may look more like 50, 30, 10, depending on where your wedding will take place. What do your finances look like? This can determine the amount of people you want to attend to share in your day.
Determine your “VIP” List
Ask yourselves who are the guests who you have always imagined being at your wedding? Start with your bridal party, closest family members, and then friends. Trust your gut feeling. If you are questioning anyone, they are NOT a VIP.
Brainstorm The Non-VIPs Separately
Each of you should take the time to create who you’d like to invite separately. Organize your list by family, friends, and coworkers. Think about why you are choosing for them to attend your wedding.
Come Together to Compare Lists
You and your partner have a separate list of non-VIPs. Compare and see how many overlap. Anyone who you both included on this list, is now bumped to the top of the final invite list. (Yes, that’s a lot of lists!)
Always Fall Back on your Wedding Budget
You both probably had people on your individual lists that you’d like to invite. If you have room in your budget, start adding some of those to your final list. Although it would be nice to have plus ones, coworkers, family friends, this isn’t always possible. Your happiness is what always matters at the end of the day. It’s ok to cut people from the guest list. Right now, with COVID19, you have the best excuse to limit who attends.
Your Date Just Won’t Work For Everyone
Not everyone who is invited will attend your wedding day. Think through who usually shows up. People are busy and have other things going on. Your date may conflict with a work thing, or a planned vacation, or their child’s tennis competition. There are so many reasons people can’t attend a wedding and surely, not everyone will be able to make yours. That will allow some wiggle room, if you want to invite a few more people knowing that not all who are invited will attend. |
