MODULE 04
Guests & Invitations
Welcome to
Guests & Invitations
Deciding who to invite to your wedding can be one of the trickiest parts of wedding planning, but don’t worry, we have you covered!
In this section, you’ll find helpful videos and downloadable PDFs walking you through popular wedding topics, including: How to create your guest list, plus-ones, wether you should invite children or not, when to send out save the dates and whether a wedding website is right for you. (Spoiler alert: If you’re planning a destination wedding, it’s a good idea to create one!)
VIPSs
Its’ time to start thinking about who your “core people” are, in fact we are going to call them VIPs from here on.
These aren’t just titles; they’re the people who will help you through those all-important key moments.
Roles you may want to consider include:
Who will be the Maid of Honour / Person of Honour?
Who will be the Best Man?
Who will be the Ring Bearer?
Who will be walking you down the aisle? (If anyone at all)
Who are the bridesmaids?
Who are the groomsmen / ushers?
Who will be doing speeches?
Who will be taking the role of Toastmaster / MC?
Will you have Flower Girls ?
Will you have Page Boys?
Who will be the Witnesses? (Two will be required for a legal wedding ceremony in the UK)
Who will be the celebrant?
Who will be the wedding planner?
Who will be the wedding coordinator?
Wedding Terminology
Here’s your quick guide to the wedding abbreviations you’ll see throughout your planning journey — and exactly what each one means.
MOB – Mother of the Bride
MOG – Mother of the Groom
FOB – Father of the Bride
FOG – Father of the Groom
MOH – Maid of Honour
BM – Best Man
GM – Groomsman / Groomsmen
FG – Flower Girl
RB – Ring Bearer
OOS – Order of Service
STD – Save the Date
RSVP – Répondez s’il vous plaît (please respond)
DIY – Do It Yourself décor or styling
BYOB – Bring Your Own Booze (if venue allows)
FOH – Front of House (venue team working guest-facing roles)
Wedding breakfast - the main wedding meal of the day.
To Invite or Not To Invite?
It’s time for the hard part, who should you invite?
Go through these questions and, hopefully, the answer will become clear…
Have we meaningfully spoken or seen each other in the last 12–18 months?
Would I genuinely miss them if they weren’t there?
Is this person important to me or my partner?
Would not inviting them cause serious hurt or conflict?
Will this person bring positivity and ease to the day?
Have they played a meaningful role in my life or relationship?
Will they still be part of my life in five years’ time?
If budget and space were unlimited, would I invite them?
Does inviting them mean excluding someone more important?
If I left my job tomorrow, would I still stay in touch with them?
If they declined the invite, would I feel secretly relieved?
If most answers are YES - Add them to the guest list
Once you have wrote down who’s going on the guest list the next step is to decide if they are invited to the entire day or just the evening reception.
Top Tip…
Your guest list shouldn't include people who you don’t genuinely want to be there.
(Even if you attended their wedding)
You can always have a separate drinks party or a meal out with work colleagues, neighbours and family friends to celebrate your marriage.
Save The Dates
In this video I explain what Save The Dates are, if you need to send them, when they should be sent and why.
Wedding Stationery
What you need for your wedding…
Wedding Invitations
Wedding invitations should be sent out 6 months before your wedding. In this video I explain why you need to send invitations, what an invitation could look like and what other information needs to be enclosed with the invitation.
How To Start Writing Your Guest List
In this video I talk you through how to create your wedding guest list and where to start...
Top Tip…
Plus ones can be given to guests who are coming to your wedding alone and to those who won’t know anyone else at the wedding.
Don’t feel pressured to give a plus one to your friend’s new partner or your parent’s friends that you’ve never met!
A wedding stationery guide to everything you need (and might want) to consider for your special day.
The Ultimate Guide To Wedding Stationery
The ultimate guide to packing for babies and children attending your wedding.
Little Guests, Big Needs
Guest List Planner
This guest list planner is your essential tool for tracking every important detail about your wedding guests.