Wedding Invitations: Use Them Wisely Or Go Broke!

I can't tell you how often I've heard from my clients, "I'm going to invite everyone to my wedding; most of them won't show anyway!" But what if they do?

I can say with certainty, that if you live in a place that permits guests to take a "mini-vacation" along with attending your wedding, you may have the majority of your invited guests show up at your wedding.

A perfect example: Brides who have weddings in South Florida in winter.

Moral of the story: The number of invitations you send controls your guest-list and ultimately, your budget.

Most brides- and grooms-to-be send invitations haphazardly (inviting everyone they can think of) in hopes of reaping the reward: Lots of gifts! But that's not always smart. Like I said, what if the majority show at the wedding? 

The better and smarter way is to control the guest-list and your invitations. If you're inviting 100 guests to your wedding (most guests come in couples), you will send out about 50 invitations. When someone sends their "regrets" send out another invitation until your quota is met. 

In this way, you are in total control! Your guest-list and your budget will NOT get out of hand!

Once your guest-list and quota is full, you will stop sending wedding invitations. People who didn't make your guest-list will be sent wedding announcements, after the fact.

Purchase or make your wedding announcements. Address them and give them to your mom or maid of honor to send, the day after the wedding.

Wedding announcements do NOT obligate recipients to send gifts, although they may if they choose!