5 People You Don’t Have to Invite To Your Wedding

If your guest list size is creeping dangerously close to your venue’s capacity, you may need to make some cuts. It’s never easy to remove people from your guest list, but here are some ideas to help you make those initial cuts. 

Kids

It’s perfectly okay to have a child-free wedding, but if you’re planning on making this the rule, hold firm and don’t make any exceptions. You can allow a few children who are extremely close family members to be in your wedding party, but keep the rest of the wedding sans kids. And if any guests try to sneak their little ones on their RSVP cards, be sure to give them a (polite) heads-up before the wedding that little ones are not invited.

Co-Workers

Unless you work in a very small office and are close friends with your co-workers beyond work hours, you don’t have to invite your colleagues to your wedding. If you go that route, though, just avoid a lot of wedding talk during office hours—you may give your colleagues the impression that they’ll be invited to your big day.

Plus-Ones

Unmarried family members and friends should be granted a guest if they are in long-term, committed relationships. While it’s a nice gesture to offer all single guests a plus-one, if there are capacity or budget restrictions, you don’t have to allow plus-ones for guests who aren’t in relationships. Again, if you make this your rule, hold firm and don’t allow exceptions.

Reciprocal Invitees

If you were invited to a friend’s wedding years ago, and you are no longer in touch, you don’t have to invite them just because you attended their big day. Your guest list should consist of those who you are still in touch with and either speak to or see regularly.

People You Don’t Know

Your parents might try to sneak a few of their friends or co-workers who you’ve never met onto the guest list. Set the rule with your folks up front—if you’ve never met ‘em, they’re not invited. Clearly, your wedding is about being surrounded with your loved ones who you’re excited to celebrate with—anyone else shouldn’t make the cut.