5 Ways to Handle the Most Awkward Guest List Scenarios

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Unfortunately, choosing who does and doesn't get invited to your big day isn't always easy. From plus ones, to kiddos, to co-workers, things can get messy. Here are five tips of the most awkward guest list situations and tips on how to deal.

1. Your family tries to convince you to have a bigger wedding than you want. Stand your ground. Whether it's because of budget, venue constraints, or your desire to keep things intimate, you and your partner chose the wedding size for a reason. Kindly tell your family or friends that you're extremely excited about the guests you're planning to invite and that you and your S.O. are purposefully keeping things small. 

2. You're unsure of whether or not to invite co-workers. There's no rule that says you must invite your colleagues to your wedding. With that being said, if you have office buddies who you frequently hang out with outside of work, you might want to consider inviting them. Just make sure to think about how many people from your office will be invited. If you invite more than just a few, you might feel obligated to invite your boss or manager. If you decide not to invite any co-workers to your big day, make sure you don't hurt their feelings by continuously talking about wedding plans and details. 

3. Your parents ask how many guests they get to invite. How many guests your parents and in-laws will be afforded is totally up to you and your significant other. Traditionally, the bride and her family get half of the invites and the groom and his family get the other half. With today's couples covering more of the costs, this gets a bit muddled. Some couples may choose to invite a third of the list and divide the remaining amongst the parents. Whatever you decide, just make sure that it's equitable and also takes into consideration who will be fronting the majority of the bill. If either set of parents has an issue with the number of invites they get, you can always give them the option of paying for their additional friends to attend. 

4. The friend who asks if she's getting a plus one. Depending on your budget and how big your venue is, you can decide who gets a plus one. Typically, guests who are married, engaged, or in a serious relationship get a plus one. For your single friends and those who are dating more casually, you and your S.O. may want to agree on a rule, or you can decide who gets a plus one on a case-by-case basis. Just be weary of causing unnecessary drama by extending the option to certain friends and not others. 

5. Or, when guests ask if they can bring their kids. Right off the bat, you and your partner should decide if you want children and teens in attendance at your wedding. If you do, then make sure guests know they're welcome to bring their youngsters by including their names on the wedding save the dates and invites. If you know that you absolutely don't want to have children there, make sure you communicate that to your guests (and be careful when it comes to making exceptions). If you're planning on having a no-kids allowed wedding, it's extra thoughtful to help your out-of-town attendees find babysitting options by offering a list of resources, or even providing group childcare during the wedding, if your budget allows.