Many people forget to take into account their guest list when creating a budget. This next tip is true for any party.

The guest list can affect your budget. You’ll spend more money with a guest count of 200 than with a count of 100. Food cost isn’t the only thing that you need to consider when increasing your guest list. Here are a few other things that need to be changed as well:

• Church/Ceremony Space – If you have a larger count, you need to have the right amount of space to accomodate everyone.
• Reception Space – The same thing goes for the reception: more people equals more needed space.
• Reception Seating – You’ll need more chairs for more people
• Tables – You need to create more seating space and if you’re serving a meal, you’ll need space for people to eat.
• Centerpieces – If you have more tables, you’ll need more centerpieces.
• Tablecloths and Linens – With more tables comes added tablecloths. Don’t forget to add those! If you’re using chair covers, those need to be increased as well.
• Dishes/Utensils – More people? More utensils! You’ll need to let the caterer know you’ll need more plates, forks, knives, glasses, etc. If you give them the final guest count and they supply the dishes, they’ll know what to increase. If you’re renting everything seperately, you’ll need to update your rentals.
• Cake – You’ll need to increase the serving size of your cake, add more cake plates, and maybe add on a few more napkins if you’re not using linen napkins.

Brides normally think of the typical items to increase (programs, favors, etc.) but they forget about the technical additions. Hopefully this list will help!

Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners

The age old question of “how to I determine who comes to my wedding” is something all brides ask. There are a few things to consider when making your guest list: size, atmosphere, and price.

The wedding guest list can vary from 5 guests to 5,000 guests – it’s really up to you! You can have an family-only wedding, or a party with everyone you know. One thing to keep in mind is this: do you really need to invite your 4th cousin’s neighbor’s daughter? It may seem silly, but some brides feel guilty for leaving out people that they know, but they never really talk to. MySpace and Facebook just add to the confusion. Sure, you keep up with more people that you used to because of social networking web-sites, but do you really know them anymore? The guest list should consist of the people you want to share your special day with. If you’re an introvert, you may want a smaller ceremony with 50 of your closest friends. If you’re more of an extrovert, you may want 500 of your friends and colleagues to witness your wedding.

The number of guests can also affect the atmosphere of the wedding. You can have a more private, intimate ceremony with a smaller guest list. If you have a larger list, the ceremony and reception may seem more like a party. This isn’t to say that you can’t have a romantic atmosphere with 200 people, because it can be done! These are just a few things to consider.

The biggest factor when choosing your guest list is pricing. Caterers charge per person, bakers charge per serving, and venues charge based on amount of space needed. Larger groups may not fit into your favorite venue, and smaller groups may not look right in huge spaces. Some brides forget that if they have a larger wedding, they need a larger space (church and reception) and more food, drinks, favors, stationery.

The moral of the story: don’t feel guilty! If your budget will only allow enough for 80 people, and you have 368 friends on Facebook, it’s no big deal. You can post pictures afterwards for everyone to see. Remember, it’s YOUR wedding day. There’s not a standard wedding “format.”

Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners