The official one year countdown clock is on.
That means the preliminary guest list D and I put together this past summer needs to be looked at and tweaked. The beginning was easy. No more than 200. No kids (besides our immediate nieces/nephews). Then we tweaked again. No kids/cousins under the age of 18. Then we added a (GASP!) B-list.
D and I have large families (my family in particular is pretty large) and while D has elected to NOT invite a large number of his relatives based on the prerequisite that he never talks to them, it's not easy for me to do that. #1, it's not easy because I DO talk to a lot of my family and #2 my parents are helping us out by paying for a number of things for this wedding, there is no way I wouldn't accommodate their few guest requests. Because of the large family list, I had to separate out a small B-list of people who we would really like to invite but weren't sure we would have the room for. The list, in total, ended up being 234 people--this also included everyone with a guest.
Fast forward to today. I went through the guest list again. I took away for "and guest" option for anyone I thought did not have a serious relationship (ie engaged/living/married) and was not in the bridal party. That killed me to do, I've been one of those invited without a guest and I felt awful. But now I'm realizing it makes sense, I would rather have another good friend of mine there, than so and so's random date. Then I looked at some of my older cousin's kids. Even though they are technically of age to come to the wedding, I have to really think about if I can have them there or not, particularly if I'm not as close with them as I once was.
I also highlighted a few people that I/D haven't really been close with over the past year or so, that way D and I can discuss it again as time gets closer and make more of a decision about if we would want to pay for them or not. Ultimately, this comes down to money. I hate to say it, but it does.
By the time I'm writing this, I was able to get rid of the B-list and get the list down to 219. Not bad, considering I still think we have some wiggle room to work with for moving people around. I really hope people aren't offended when they/if they find out who isn't being invited. And actually, I'm really hoping more that I can rise above others opinions and just do what makes D and I, and our budget!, happiest. :)
The one who never stops believin.....
