5 Tips to Mastering Your Guest List

The guest list is one of the most important elements to any event.  It  is also one of the THE  most political moves you'll make in this lifetime. Even more important that who gets to attend, you are really deciding who doesn't make the cut. Your guest list, in  short, is you rating the importance of  people in your life. This is what makes conquering this task so daunting.

It is imperative to have a solid guest list before choosing any additional elements to your event. However, the job does not end with how many people you plan to invite, it is equally important to know how many people you are expecting to attend. No matter how big or small the event, knowing how many people you are expecting makes all the difference with food, favors, venue selection, rental items and more. Here are 5 helpful ways to tackle these twisted sisters with ease.

1. Categorize. When drafting your guest list, break it down into the following parts:
*Those that must be invited.
*Those that should be invited.
*Those it would be nice to invite.

Your guest list must be done first.Once you've decided how many people you'd like to invite you then have an idea of how much space you may need, potentially narrowing your search for locations automatically. Should your list need to be cut or altered in any way due to space accommodations or budget, these guest list categories will help you will know where to start trimming down.

2. Consult All Involved. If you are planning a wedding, be sure to include your fiance, parents, and sometimes even grandparents to make sure you are not forgetting anyone that must be invited. If planning an event for someone else (ie: bridal or baby shower), it may be helpful to consult the honored party and even their siblings or parents to make sure you don't leave any key players out of the celebration.

3. Dig A Little Deeper. Ask yourself, do our guest have children? Spouses? Also, consider if single guests may bring a date/friend? Digging a little deeper will go a long way in tallying a more accurate number for expected attendees, as well as, keep you from feeling overwhelmed at seemingly ballooned guest list come RSVP time.

4. No Blanket Invites. When space and/or  funds are limited, make sure you do not plan to put out any blanket invitations. Posting an announcement in your church or on your job, is a sure fire way to lose accuracy and control of your guest count when you do not know who will accept and/or decline.

5. Never Assume. Never assume what guests should already know... that their 4 children should not attend the baby shower too...that Aunt Mable knows the invitation you sent to her does not apply to Cousin Ray, who lives just down the street. The responsibility is yours to communicate any event stipulations. Try to do so while maintaining a celebratory tone (consider careful wording on your invite or pre-filled numbers on an RSVP card).

Lastly, you want to make sure you do not assume which guests will not attend from the start and over invite. You may find yourself surprised at who will choose to make your celebration a priority. Over inviting can lead to a cramped venue and an unexpected dent in your budget.

Maintaining a good guest list and guest count can help keep stress levels down and your budget in tact.