Since parents traditionally do help pay for the wedding, they deserve to have some say in who gets invited. This may mean the bride and groom allow their parents to invite certain friends, colleagues, or family members they wouldn't have otherwise asked to attend their wedding.
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.
You're not obligated to invite them. Save spots on your guest list for someone you're really close with, and who has been there to support you as your relationship with your soon-to-be life partner has grown.
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.
The short answer: Yes! Experts agree that people should invite their coworkers to their weddings.
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.
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.
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, ...
Traditional etiquette would imply that you don't need to invite the new partners of your wedding guests, especially if they've been together for 6 months or less. However, if you can afford to, it is a really nice thing to do. Guests that don't know anyone at your wedding will be much happier with their partner there.
Choosing not to invite any long-term partners can be seen as an etiquette faux pas, so keep this in mind as you begin creating your wedding guest list. It's also considered common courtesy to extend a plus-one to any members of your wedding party.
It is something couples so easily forget in the rush to make sure they have invited everyone that they should. When it comes to couples who have invited you to their wedding, the short answer is no, you don't have to invite them to your wedding.
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.
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.
Should Your and Your Spouse-to-Be's Parents Meet Before the Wedding? According to experts, the answer is a resounding yes. Here's how to facilitate an introduction.
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.
In many cultures, it's traditional to have both the mother and father walk their daughter down the aisle. Some brides may find this more suitable rather than choosing just one parent to do the honor. If you prefer to be escorted by both your mom and dad, Erb says go for it!
Where should parents and grandparents of the bride and groom sit? Depending on the size and shape of tables you have, it's common to have a family table where the bride and groom's parents and grandparents sit together. Or, each set of parents can host their own table and be seated with close family and friends.
THE ETIQUETTE
She offers these guidelines to wedding-goers wherever they might be: A distant relative or co-worker should give $75-$100; a friend or relative, $100-$125; a closer relative, up to $150.
While in some families and cultures, the parents do give a tangible gift to the bridal couple, other families and cultures feel the wedding itself is enough. This means it is completely your choice.
A typical cash wedding gift could range from $50 to $500, depending on the same factors listed above. Even then, aiming for the $100 mark is generally sufficient and will be comparable to the average cost of a physical wedding gift. For those looking to gift the newlyweds cash, they may wonder how much to spend.
The average guest count for American weddings is around 130 people. This number includes the bride and groom's immediate family members and their closest friends and relatives. As a general rule, you should invite anyone who has been a part of your wedding plans or will be invited to the reception.
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.
“A general overall percentage between 75-85 percent of wedding guests usually attend.” The breakdown: 85 percent of local guests, 55 percent of out-of-town guests, and 35 percent of destination wedding guests will show up, Buckley said.