Probably no other part of wedding planning causes as much frustration and ill-will as the guest list. Just who will be present to bear witness to the big event is something that no family has ever been able to totally agree on. Sure there are those fairy-tale weddings where money is no object, but even those weddings have their limits. More often than not, it is the case that some of the prospective guests never actually make it onto the final guest list. And you know what? As devastating as it may seem at the time, it really isn’t the end of the world for those who don’t get invited.
When should the couple put together the guest list? Although it doesn’t have to be set in stone, a fairly approximate head count is needed early on in the wedding planning stage. The number of guests invited to your wedding will have a considerable impact on your wedding budget. Remember, they’re your guests and you’ll need to accommodate each and every one of them! You’ll need a venue large enough to hold all your guests comfortably, you’ll have to feed them, they’ll need invitations, and if they’re coming from out of town, they’ll likely need overnight accommodations. With an average cost of $25 per guest for food, every 4 guests will cost approximately $100 just to feed!

