...You Aren't Coming In!
Separating the people you WANT to be at your wedding from the people you feel you HAVE to invite can make the difference between a day you will never forget and a day you will always want to forget….(and could pack a financial burden to boot).
I always advise my brides that compiling the Guest Lists and drawing up Table Plans are one of the most difficult parts of wedding organisation. With family politics and dynamics as they often are these days, it’s not as straightforward as it once was. Follow my simple tips to help you glide through this potentially lethal social assault course:
Peer Pressure
You will find a lot of pressure actually comes from those closest to you such as parents, friends and even your fiancée. It’s important you set them straight right from the word 'GO'. Don’t let others influence your big day…It is supposed to be a celebration of your love for each other and such a personal thing deserves to have guests who genuinely want to be there to share it.
Don't feel forced to invite someone just because they invited you to their wedding. That was their choice, this is yours...
A Shot in the Foot
Do you dream of your wedding reception being all jagerbombs and drunken shenanigans? If not then you will find some people on your guests lists who are unable to contain their inner party animal. I like to call these guests ‘questionable’ but some would call them ‘Trouble’….
You want all of your guests to feel comfortable and at ease at your wedding, so any guests who have a certain habit of being inappropriate or causing a stir, need to be discussed before invitations go out. ...
One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, Floor.
Every Guest List has a limit, so you need to mean business. You don’t really want a maybe list, do you absolutely want them there or not? In today’s economic climate everyone has a budget to stick to, so if that means you can’t afford to have ‘plus one’ invites for your single friends, then do not be embarrassed to just invite them alone. Chances are they will know other people there and you can sit them with likeminded friends. Otherwise you could end up scrimping and saving whilst a whole host of people you have never met enjoy your wedding day.
Table Woes
What you want: Likeminded guests bonding over intelligent conversation, constant chit chat and belly laughs. What often happens: Couples or families ignoring guests they don't know, stiff and disjointed conversations and fake polite laughter......
Fake laughter can be scary. Don't let it happen at your wedding.
There are a few points I can give you to help you create a successful table plan.
1. Shake it like a Polaroid picture
A lot of people make the mistake of sitting guests within their own family or friends, so that each table has its own pre-determined identity. One of the best things about weddings is meeting new people. All of your guests already have one thing in common - You two! So shake it up and let them mix. You will have a good idea of what your guests are like in general and try to mix them to bring out each person’s best qualities.
2. Less is more
The less tables you have in a room, the better it will generally look. Our Ballroom here at Crowhurst Park is recommended to have 6 round tables plus a top table. Can we fit 7? Yes. Does it look nice? No. I am always an advocate that round tables need to be full in order to look right. It is much easier to use spare space to lay out a room nicely than it is to try and make a half full round table look nice.
3. Liaise with your venue
Make sure you know exactly how your tables are numbered and where they are going within the room. This will enable you to successfully separate those pesky people who don't see eye to eye and make use of the room you know you will have to create the best ambience possible.
Remember - It is your day and it is just one day, so make it right!
Invites & Name Cards,
Julie
Your BBF
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