• Immediate Family and Relatives – Unless you’re eloping, having a very intimate wedding, or don’t get along with your family, this is the easiest portion of the guest list. Obviously, you need to include your immediate family, but don’t forget to consider aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins. 

• Friends – Things get trickier when you start thinking about which friends you should invite. Most couples have a core group of close friends they spend time with regularly, making them easy additions to the list. But what about the friends you don’t see as often? A general rule is, if you haven’t seen someone for over two years, you don’t need to invite them. 

• Coworkers – There is no blanket rule for inviting your coworkers to your wedding as it depends on how close you are to your coworkers, how many of them there are, and many of other factors. If you don’t want to invite any, then you can skip this section. If you’re unsure, ask yourself: Do I hang out with them after work socially? How many times? Do you interact with them often during work hours? If you decide to invite some coworkers but not all, do keep the wedding talk at a minimum during work hours so people don’t feel left out. 

• Plus Ones – Most people don’t want to show up to a wedding without a date, but that doesn’t mean everyone on your guest list can or should get a plus one. If you have tons of space in your venue and in your budget, go ahead and offer plus ones liberally. However, if you’re tight on space or funds, only offer plus ones to guests who recently got engaged or married or who are in long-term relationships, generally over one year. You’ll just need to go with your gut on some plus-one decisions, and only you and your future spouse will be able to decide. 

• Kids – Whether or not to invite kids to your wedding is going to be a tricky decision, as many parents have lots of strong feelings about including their little ones. However, it’s your decision. You don’t need to invite any kids at all, you can invite some kids, or you can invite all of them. No matter what you decide, make sure it’s very clear on the invitations and your wedding website. 

It’s your wedding day, and you should have say over the final guest list. Want more tips or information for planning a wedding at a McAllen, TX event center? Call or visit us today!