Saturday the girls from Kelli’s wedding party and Jason’s mom, Renee, all gathered at our house to help Kelli tackle a few things on her wedding checklist…the flowers and the dreaded guest list.
I helped with the brides maids bouquets and helped Kelli with the guest list. Here are Jen, Kayla and Fergie working on flowers….
The corsages and boutonnieres were done by everyone else including Renee and Caitlyn along with Kalissa.
Kelli…well, let’s just say for Kelli this wasn’t too much fun…(photo bomb by Kalissa)
Living in a small towns, so many people become friends. Neighbors and people who we belong to groups with all expect an invitation. Roger and I have friends and family we want to invite….Jeff and Renee have friends they want to invite. More importantly, Kelli and Jason have people they want to invite. All of us have big families. If just my siblings and I were all to get together with all their grandchildren it’s 88 people.
When a church holds only 120 in the main area and the basement with a tv and chairs can hold 50 or so more it’s hard. We finally came to the conclusion that we’d all have to cut really hard and that some people would only get a reception invitation.
Well the reception hall will only seat 325 and that is completely maxed out…we again had to cut. Then we came up with the idea that some people are going to have to get a dance only invitation as the place can hold more…just all can’t be seated.
It’s so hard….Roger and I both cut so that all but two of our cousins were cut. Kelli cut cousins so that many are reception only….Kelli’s co-workers were all moved to dance only. It’s so hard trying to not offend but include…include but not offend.
We have a tentative list. Enough of one that we were able to get bridal shower invitations out…that’s another check off the list.
We are so happy that the flowers are done but really quite sad about the invitation list. Then we all keep saying who knows…we may have a snow storm and no one will be there except the immediate family. It will all be interesting….
I remember how difficult it was to work on the guest list for my daughter’s wedding. It is hard when you are limited by venue. Flowers were another huge issue for us…not for my daughter and I but my daughter’s future MIL was not on board with what my daughter wanted. It was a good first lesson in learning to compromise. I’m very proud of my daughter. She has been married more than 10 years now and has learned the art of compromise but she also stands her ground on issues she feels strongly about. Have fun – weddings are such a special time for families.
My youngest just got married last Aug.. That guest list thing is really hard, we had to go with no children-except for the nieces and nephews of the bride and groom-4 of which were in the bridal party. People seemed to understand and if they didn’t, I didn’t hear about it…
We had guest list invitation problems at our wedding too. We ended up borrowing a church across town to get married in. Our Pastor knew the Pastor of the other church. We were able to get all 300 guests in this way. It never hurts to ask around to see what other people in your community do to get all their guests in at a big wedding.
I love your quilts. Thanks for sharing them and thank you for your generous giveaways.
I love this quilt and it looks like a brand new beginner quilter (I like how that sounds!) like me can do it! I’m gathering supplies, so I haven’t bought quilt packs, charm packs, or much fabric yet at all. I am so anxious, though!!! I love that I have found this website…I’ll be watching for more instructions!
Same problem with my son’s wedding. True friends understand! I am never offended if I am not invited. Costs are another big issue these days. And if the people are important to me…..they get a gift…invitation or not!!!
Our wedding was easy – my boss, my employee & my bff, and anyone else hubs wanted. Turned out to be about 40 people, most of whom I met that day for the first time….but FUN!
Four our daughter’s wedding, that was easy too (for us, anyway…) We limited it to 100 people, including us, daughter 1, daughter 2 & new hubby. We let them have whomever they wanted, as long as we were there, but only up to 100. (It was more due to cost factor than space issues) So, #1 & her hubs put their friends on the list, then his family & we evenly split what was left over among the rest of the family.
Hope it all works out for ya!!
That is a hard decision. You could leave it at close relatives, and the bride and groom’s close friends. Unless the bride and groom grew up with your own friends, you shouldn’t feel obligated to invite them.
Maybe in the summer or early fall you could have a big outside party and invite everyone, to celebrate the 6-month anniversary?
I agree that it should be the bride and groom’s family. And a few of their friends, not the parents and grandparents friends (for cost reasons) I do not believe that marriage should put the parents or the couple in debt. The money is much better placed into the purchase of a house if possible.
My wedding was 30 people. My husband and I started with nothing but kids from previous marriage. No debt but no assets, no house, little furniture.
Married now for 43 years and dept free. Have land and an old house. Grand kids and great grand kids now.