30 TEL/ FAX 0845 230 2772 FREE ONLINE WEDDING PLANNER TOOLS www. weddingplanner. co. uk30 guest list( s) - who to invite Tips Sent In To www. weddingplanner. co. uk Catering Give your caterers a seat plan to locate any guests with special menus. Clothes/ Shoes Sew two white sheets together to protect your gown. Remove water marks from satin shoes with a dab of white spirit. Don't wear too much make- up to your fitting in case you soil your dress. Rings To get the right fit, always try on wedding rings when your hands are cold. It is easier to put on your wedding rings if your finger is slightly bent. Major considerations will be your budget and the number of people who can be catered for at your venue( s). Obviously your lists will include parents, close family and friends - people you are in contact with regularly. Prior Considerations Before going any further, things to consider: . Are there people making major financial contributions to the wedding who may feel they are entitled to have a say in whom you invite? . If you and your partner have families of different sizes, does the one with the smaller family feel entitled to ask some more distant relatives just to even up the guest list? . How important are your careers? Are there colleagues you must invite: the boss and the people you work with everyday? . Are your friends mutual or do you have friends who are part of your separate social groups? . Who do you need to support you as a married couple? With due thought to the above, you can now draw up your separate personal lists and talk through any difficulties or differences. Too Many People Or, Too Little Money Or, Too Little Space . Do you hire a larger, cheaper venue? . Can you reduce the catering costs per head? . Do you invite fewer people to the wedding breakfast ( the sit- down meal) and more to the evening " do"? . Do you restrict the guest list to mostly family and friends? . Who will be offended and why does it matter? Inviting Children The situation regarding not inviting children can be tricky. Many parents will assume that your invitation includes their small children. To save any embarrassment you could telephone people before sending out the invitation or, you could include a short personal note saying, " Much as we'd like to invite the children of all our friends, it is only possible to accommodate the children of close family". If you are inviting small children and you have made special arrangements for entertainment, a bouncy castle for example, you may want to advise parents when you send out your invitation so they bring along appropriate clothing. Avoid addressing your invitations to " John, Janet and family"; if they have teenage children they might turn up with their girl/ boyfriends, too.

Readers: Please tell our advertisers you found them in your " Little Book that's worth its weight in GOLD!" 31 31 Dozens of Realistic Ways to Spend Less But Attain More Choose local wedding services and suppliers to avoid travel expenses, yours and theirs Weekday or Sunday weddings can be less costly If you don't want a Wedding Breakfast ( the traditional name for the wedding meal), consider having your wedding later in the day followed by a buffet or, in the summer, a barbeque Have an early wedding followed by a cocktail/ canapé reception for all your friends and extended family before leaving later to have a quiet meal with close friends and family If you are having a Greek, Spanish, or Italian theme, check out your favourite restaurant to either hold your reception or provide the catering Choose Pimms or Sangria as the welcoming drink and a good sparkling wine instead of Champagne for the toast. ( A well chosen sparkling wine is a better choice than cheaper champagne.) Also, Elderflower Presse is a delicious alcohol- free alternative Provide sufficient numbers and choice of canapés to serve as the first course. Or, if a winter wedding, provide a welcoming cup of hot soup To reduce the drinks bill, and its effects, provide absorbing entertainment: a fun casino, a mini- quiz, charades, etc. In the evening arrange live entertainment, a magician or dancing with a professional dance caller After the wedding breakfast, it is perfectly acceptable for guests to buy their own drinks. To avoid confusion, put " Pay bar after 7.00pm" on your invitations or pre- set a " drinks limit" Consider having pedestal floral arrangements rather than individual table flowers at your reception. Or hire tree or plant displays If you choose to have adults rather than little girls as your bridesmaids, make them " attendants" instead. This means they'll have their own outfits and you need only provide matching bouquets. Cocktail and evening dresses can be a classy alternative to a wedding gown and can also be worn again Unless you are friends with both, invite only your workmates and not their partners. As long as they know other people there, they will look on it as a work night out rather then a family gathering Don't automatically invite the children of friends and family. Some parents may appreciate having a day/ night out without their offspring. ( See our Stationery Section/ Invitations for suggestions on how to explain the situation to your guests) Choose a wedding cake, or a mountain of small cakes, that will also serve as the sweet course. Negotiate a reduced rate with your hotel or caterers who could still make the same profit margins after reducing staff wages For that " borrowed" item: a friend's tiara, mom's veil or Granny's antique jewellery If marrying in church, share the cost of the church flowers with the other couples getting married that day then choose something grand and flamboyant Use your table decorations as gifts to your guests. For example, table flowers could divide up into smaller sprays for the ladies to take home and miniature bottles of spirits are perfect for the men In the run up to your wedding, tell friends and family to dry the petals of flowers from their garden for you to use in your Flower Girl's basket Sprinkle glitter, rose petals or foil stars to decorate your reception tables. To prevent all that wasted buffet food, order one meal between two