So, with five months before we say 'I do', the invites have been printed and are laid out very neatly into piles on our lounge floor. The John Lewis Gift List inserts have also been completed, folded and ready to enclose.
We created a draft guest list pretty early on (I've always known exactly who I wanted at my wedding) but for some reason Mr Smith etc keeps creeping on in there. The numbers have steadily risen from 105 to 167 in the space of a few months. Why? Guest list politics. So, I ask you readers:
1. If you are invited to a wedding, should you invite them to yours?
2. If you are only invited to the evening reception, do you return the favour or invite them to the whole shabang?
3. If only one of you is invited to the wedding, do you cut out their wife or girlfriend out in turn?
4. If one of you (their favourite) is invited to the wedding breakfast and the other is expected to wander around a strange city alone then meet up at the evening reception, should you go at all? And should you adopt the same approach?
....and don't even get me started on children!
I have loved every second of the wedding planning process but the guest list has, by far, got to be the most difficult part. Do you split the guests 50/50 and have exactly half each, for that person to make ur their 50 however they like? Do you make rules like, only parents, siblings, aunties/uncles and first cousins? Because - that could end up with an uneven balance!
Parents involvement or lack of it also seems to cause arguments. Some who you thought would be buying the magazines and calling every few days with new bouquet ideas have been surprisingly quiet. Others who couldn't care less about cake and music have been perfectly vocal about transport and seating charts.
How are you supposed to keep everyone happy? And should you even have to make anyone ELSE happy? Most friends falls into one of two camps. a) "It's your day, its about you and Mr X, as long as you're happy no one else matters" or b) "Its a family affair, they have brought you up, contributed to the wedding budget and should have a say and be part of the day too".
Well, I have to say, I would put myself in the a) category. I just hope that if and when I have children, I'll stay out of things as much or as little as they want me to. Does it matter if you're mother of the bride or groom? If you have girls, do you automatically get to be a bigger part of the day? Either way, its not long to go, I haven't snapped at anyone yet and I think I'm doing a pretty good job of biting my tongue and improving my patience (something that Mr X tells me is sorely lacking!)
Love TM x
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