The number of guests you have at your wedding affects everything you do while planning, but creating the list can seem like an incredibly difficult task to start. We are here to help!

How to Begin Creating Your Wedding Guest List

Wedding guests will come from all aspects and times of your life. Here is a system to pull your lifetime of friends and family into one guest list.

The Categories:

Family List them ALL, down the second cousins you see only at the family reunion.
Close Friends These are the people you see or speak to on a regular basis, or are significant in your life.
Professional Friends Coworkers, clients-turned-friends, mentors, or other people who are significant to your professional life.
Significant Relationships The people who remain significant in your life, and can include friends from childhood, college, sports organizations, or any other group in your life that was meaningful.

List Creation:

You and your future spouse should create your own lists that will be combined into one at the end. Take notes on the number of people associated with each name, including spouses, significant others, and children (if you are considering a child-friendly affair).

If appropriate, have your parents also prepare a list to avoid last-minute invitation requests.

“Start guest list” is one of the first tasks within WeddingHappy – right after announcing your engagement and determining your budget.

Prioritizing:

Give each guest on the list a priority of A, B, or C.

A – Close family and friends that must be at the ceremony.

B – Additional friends, extended family, and professional friends that you are planning to invite.

C – Guests that would be nice to have at your wedding if your budget allows.

You now have your wedding list ready to go! Based on your budget and venue, start refining the list and adding addresses in preparation for your big day.