What is it for?
Since during the wedding day a large number of contractors (host, florist, makeup artist, decorators, waiters, etc.) will interact with you and your guests, they (as well as you) must be guided by how many people will be at the banquet how and where they will sit.
Who might need a guest list?
- Newlyweds . Firstly, it is needed to calculate the budget for the festive banquet, send out invitations and calculate the weight of the wedding cake.
- Secondly, keep track of the number of guests who will definitely be present at your celebration. Quite often it happens that guests announce at the last moment that they will not be able to come.
- Thirdly, after compiling the list, you will be able to have an idea which part of the guests will be with you at the registry office or at the exit registration, and which will come directly to the restaurant. Based on this, you can calculate the cost of transport for guests, routes, and also indicate the corresponding addresses in the invitations.
Wedding competitions for guests
A holiday cannot be complete without a varied entertainment program. When drawing up wedding competitions for guests, it is necessary to take into account their social status, age and personal preferences. You should not impose mandatory participation in all endeavors on those present. If it is more convenient and desirable for a person to simply sit at the table and chat with other guests, you should meet him halfway. What entertainment would be appropriate?
- If you are planning a wedding with professional hosts, it is worth discussing with them the age categories of the guests and their main interests. Experienced specialists have scenarios and competitions for all occasions, and they will be happy to select an adequate program.
- Particular attention should be paid to the newlyweds' closest relatives - parents, grandparents, godparents, girlfriends, boyfriends, witnesses. Speeches and scenarios for feasible participation in the program are written especially for them.
- Nowadays, active role-playing games and quests are popular, in which anyone can become a participant. You can organize a separate exciting trip for children.
- For older guests, they offer relaxing entertainment - filling out a Book or Tree of Wishes, participating in a photo shoot, educational competitions and board games.
- Music must be selected taking into account the tastes of all guests. In the dance program, in addition to the necessary set - a solemn anthem, a slow dance of the newlyweds, there should be both fiery music and calm melodies, waltzes.
- A great surprise for all guests will be to show a video or slide show with photos before the start of the banquet. For this purpose, materials from the family archive, footage from a wedding or marriage ceremony in the registry office, promptly processed by specialists, are used.
- The spectacular end of the evening will be a fire show, bright fireworks, and an introduction by a professional group. You can launch paper lanterns with candles, doves or butterflies into the sky. Send wreaths with live lights, boats, and light sparklers down the river.
As a farewell, you can organize a costumed photo session for everyone who wants to, against the backdrop of nature, in a special photo corner in the banquet hall, with the subsequent distribution of finished photos.
How to compose?
You should definitely make the final list together with your significant other .
At the same time, anyone can sketch out a draft, and then simply combine the two lists into one. If for some reason you find someone on the list compiled by your significant other whom you would not like to see at the wedding, then you should delicately explain why you think this guest should not be present (for example, “we only saw each other a couple of times”).
Additionally : How to choose transport for guests? How to decorate it? Read more here .
At the same time, it is worth considering counter arguments - why your partner wants to see this guest at the wedding.
Initially, when planning a wedding, you should not tell all your acquaintances, colleagues and friends about the upcoming celebration. This way, you won't feel awkward if you decide not to invite one of them.
Advice! Start sending out invitations and calling relatives after the final approval of the guest list.
What to start with:
- total wedding budget ;
- room capacity;
- wedding format – a large and noisy wedding for 100 guests or a modest celebration for loved ones;
- compile it yourself ; you should not trust your friends or parents to prepare the list. If parents insist on inviting someone who was not on your original list, offer to pay for that guest's stay at the celebration;
- cost of a banquet per person in the selected banquet hall.
Who should you invite?
Necessarily:
- Parents;
- Grandparents
- Godfather/godmother;
- Brothers/sisters;
- Close friends/girlfriends;
Don't forget to invite:
- Groom's friends;
- Friends of the bride;
- Nephews;
- Uncles and aunts;
Advice! Make a more detailed list for the presenter . If possible, write some interesting facts about each guest , their achievements and hobbies. Based on this, the presenter will be able to effectively greet the guest, come up with interesting questions, or otherwise use the information provided. Your guests will be pleased with such attention at the holiday.
Who shouldn't be called?
- Ex/former;
- Friends who have obvious enmity with each other;
- A person who likes to drink heavily and start getting rowdy;
- Neighbors in the stairwell;
- A friend's girlfriend whom he just started dating;
- A friend's boyfriend whom she just started dating;
- Friends of friends;
- Chief;
- A vain, intrusive and overly active acquaintance;
- Girlfriend / friend whom you have not seen for 10 years;
- Distant relatives with whom you communicate once every 5 years;
- New acquaintances.
Who should definitely be invited?
The following must be present at the wedding banquet:
- parents of the newlyweds;
- close relatives: grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles;
- Close friends.
The degree of closeness and kinship is determined by the young. Perhaps the connection with someone has been lost, someone you simply don’t want to see at such a significant event. Your relatives themselves may not want to be present just because you are connected by ties of kinship. This list of those closest to you should only include those people whom you really want to see. Who should witness the creation of a new family.
How to apply?
When might you need a beautifully designed guest list for your celebration? If you plan to place it at the entrance to the banquet hall, indicate the table numbers on the list. This way, it will be easier for guests to figure out which table they will sit at.
It could be implemented this way:
Before the decorator creates beautiful plans with numbering of tables and cards for guests, the list can be prepared on a simple piece of paper or in a WORD document on the computer.
To distribute guests between tables, you can sketch the hall , indicating the approximate arrangement of the presidium and guest tables (rectangles or circles).
write the first and last names of the guests in each rectangle / circle by hand . Then, such a scheme and the final list are transferred to the designer, host and restaurant administration.
If you independently prepare a list that will be placed at the entrance to the banquet hall, it is important to consider the following subtleties :
- you should adhere to the color scheme that you chose as the main one for your wedding;
- If you previously used one font option in invitations, signs and cards with guest names, then in the list it is recommended to use the same font to maintain identity ;
- if you find it difficult to choose a design, do everything in a minimalist style (without unnecessary “curls” and frames): a large, easy-to-read table number, and under it a list of names and surnames (centered alignment).
Who should not be invited
If the budget and banquet hall for the wedding allow, the list of guests can be very extensive and include everyone - right down to the neighbors in the entrance. But you shouldn’t be so scattered and turn the wedding into a city holiday. Feel free to cross off the following categories from your wedding guest list:
- childhood friends, if you haven’t seen them for ten years or more;
- colleagues, unless you have close and sincere friendships;
- very distant relatives – second cousins’ nephews, etc.;
- friends of close relatives, if the newlyweds themselves do not know them.
You should not include people on your wedding invite list out of politeness or gratitude. If they are not your close friends, but simply did something nice for you, it is better to thank them in a different way. If someone has previously invited you to their wedding, but you do not think that this person is part of your close circle, there is no need to send an invitation out of gratitude. Perhaps you were at that event out of politeness, as someone's couple, or just because.
Samples (templates)
Below we invite you to download several ready-made examples of guest lists and seating charts (you can fill them out yourself and print them on A4 sheet):
This option can be filled out in Excel and sent to the presenter . In the first block (in green) enter the names of parents and close relatives:
Beautiful and delicate option with flowers:
(2.74 mb)
(5.30 mb)
A simple and understandable list that can be printed on A4, filled out and handed over to the cafe, presenter or decorator:
(110 kb)
Minimalistic black and white version:
(290 kb/PDF)
How to invite?
How should you invite to a wedding? The best option is invitations. Firstly, they will be a symbol of respect, honor and sincere intentions, since they have names on them. Secondly, due to their forgetfulness and absent-mindedness, guests will not have to check the place and time of the event several times, because all important information will be indicated in the invitation. And thirdly, using invitations, you can always know who you have already invited and who you haven’t yet.
In invitations, be sure to include the full names of guests and address them with the word “Dear(ies).” Don't forget to indicate the reason for the celebration, the place where it will take place, and the date.
If there are any additional wishes or requirements (for example, in the case of a themed wedding, everyone present must be dressed appropriately), then note this as well. It is best to order invitations from a company that specializes in this and hand them over personally (they may simply not arrive by mail).
If it is not possible to order and deliver invitations in person due to lack of funds or time, then you can simply call everyone. But then be prepared for the fact that guests can specify the date and address.
