Nip/Tuck -Tackling the Guest List

Achieving the almost impossible goal of trimming your guest list is an all time bridal accomplishment, worthy of an award. Follow these tips to guide you and your hubby-to-be through creating your wedding guest list.

• One of the most important first steps is to clearly define your parents' involvement in the wedding. Odds are, if they're the ones coughing up most of the cash for your nuptials, then they're going to be eager to invite everyone on their guest list. And its only proper for the two of you to extend that courtesy. If this is the case, you and your fiance should workout some type of formula for your guests and the guests of your parents, like 60/40.

• Know your budget and how many people you can afford to invite.
  

• Grab some alone time together and create a list titled "must" and another titled "maybe". Go through the names of everyone you want to invite and add their names to either list. With my experience, 2 out of 10 guests who were added to the "maybe" list, were. . well, let's say they were "eventually sent a wedding announcement". You know what we're trying to say.

• You and your fiance's guest list should be fairly equal, unless otherwise agreed upon.
  

• Remember to have fun! Try making a sweethearts game out of it! Don't consume or devote your entire weekend together to creating your guest list. It'll only add more stress to an already lengthy planning process.
  

Trimming your guest list won't be such an agonizing wedding task if you set clear cut rules that apply to everyone! ; (i.e. no co-workers, no third cousins, no friends of a friend, etc.) When you begin to make exceptions, the horrible feelings you were once looking to steer clear of, will begin to surface.

Good Luck!