Keep it fair. In general, the rule of thumb is that one-third of the wedding guests are from the bride's parents, one-third of the guests are invited by the groom's parents, and the rest are invited by the couple.
Give Them A Clear Number
Traditionally, the couple invites 1/3 of the guests, the bride's parents invite 1/3 and the groom's parents invite 1/3. Many couples adjust this so they determine 1/2 the guest list themselves and split the remaining half amongst their parents.
You must invite immediate family members. This includes parents, siblings, grandparents and aunts and uncles of both the bride and the groom. If one aunt is invited…all aunts should be invited. Your siblings' spouses and your adult nieces and nephews, should also be included on this list.
1. Are your parents being included on the wedding invitation? Traditionally, the bride's parents were the ONLY parents on a wedding invitation. Today, more and more couples are adding the groom's parents to the invite.
When it comes down to it, you can likely anticipate that between 60 to 85 percent of your invited guests will RSVP “yes” to your wedding.
A general rule of thumb is that the guest list is split between the couple and both sets of parents. So if your guest list is 100 people, you and your partner would invite 50 people, and each set of parents would get to invite 25.
There's no magical formula to determine exactly how many invitees will RSVP "no" (trust us, if we could predict the future for you, we would), but it's safe to plan for roughly 15 percent of people to decline the invitation (and more like 20–30 percent for a destination wedding).
Even if your parents are contributing more money than your partners, they should still be allowed to invite a certain number of guests. While there may be disputes as to who those people are, let your partner work with his or her parents to handle disagreements.
Traditionally, the parents all sit at the same reception table, along with siblings not in the wedding party, the officiant and his or her spouse (if they attend the reception) and any grandparents.
Traditionally, the bride's parents are the hosts of the wedding and are named at the top of the invitation, even for very formal affairs.
If you are following the rules of tradition, the bride's family is expected to bear the brunt of the expenses including the wedding dress, bridesmaids gifts (bridesmaids are still expected to buy their own dresses), the wedding planner or coordinator, the invitations, the flowers, the wedding reception, photography, ...
Are Parents Announced at the Reception? Couples who wish to honor their parents may want to announce them at the reception as part of the grand entrance. If this is the case, the parents of the groom should enter first, followed by the father and mother of the bride.
It's your wedding, and you can invite whoever you want to. You should definitely never feel obligated to invite anyone, including family members, especially if there's good reason to leave them off the list.
An easy rule of thumb is to stay within the average range of $75 to $200, but you can adjust the exact amount based on your personal finances, as well as your relationship with the couple.
Traditional etiquette dictates that the persons hosting the wedding determine the guest list. Modern etiquette, I dare to say, dictates a transparent conversation between the couple and their families to determine that each set of parents get one-third of the wedding guest list, and the couple gets the remainder.
Typically, a guestlist of 75 to 150 people is considered an "average" wedding size. However, average guest counts fluctuate too. Did you know that about ten more guests are invited to weddings this year than last year? That brings the national average to just over 100 wedding guests.
The parents of the bride always sit in the first pew or row on the left, facing where the ceremony will be held; the groom's parents sit in the first row on the right. At same-sex marriage ceremonies, the couple might assign each family a side, and seat guests on "Bill's side" or "Kevin's side" accordingly.
Classically, the groom sits to the bride's right and the best man sits to her left. The maid of honor sits to the groom's right. Depending on how large the table is, the other attendants can also be seated near the couple.
"While you should never feel obligated to attend a wedding you don't want to be a part of, think carefully if the reason you are using will hold up years later when you look back on it," Gottsman says. Once you decide to decline, you should ideally share the news in person, not through the mail.
The wedding party typically includes the bridesmaids, groomsmen, bridesmen, groomswomen, maid of honor, best man, and anyone else accompanying the wedded couple down the aisle, such as parents, a flower girl and a ring bearer.
Is it okay to invite some children but not others? Yes, it's okay to invite a select amount of children to your wedding––especially since you're footing the bill. Before sending out your invites, make a rule and stick to it.
Your parents/parent figures, wedding party members, best friends, or close relatives are generally the ones who give speeches or readings throughout your wedding celebration, but ultimately, you can ask whoever you want if it will mean something to you.
On average, between 15 and 20 percent of guests will RSVP "no" to a wedding.
Don't Assume You're Definitely Invited to Anyone's Wedding
Immediate family, sure. Extended family, probably—but even still, your cousin could be having an intimate ceremony and reception far away, and you shouldn't be offended if they can't expand their close-knit guest list.
The average engagement is 12-18 months long and about 20% of all weddings are called off after engagements. There could be several reasons for calling off your wedding such as: Uncertainty about a relationship. Pressured to get married.