People You Should NOT Invite to Your Wedding

According to estimates, the average number of guests invited to a wedding is around 180. The average wedding budget is around $20,000.

Deciding who should and should not be a part of ones wedding puts many couples in a dilemma, since nobody wants to hurt the feelings of people who are, or were associated with them. The problem is compounded when you have budgetary constrains that limit the number of people you can invite to your big day.

All of this creates doubt and anxiety in the minds of most people who are about to get married. Although the decision to invite someone to your wedding depends upon a lot of factors, there are certain people like an ex., neighbors, supervisor, estranged relatives, alcoholics, etc., whose presence can make you uncomfortable at your wedding.

Inviting these people to your wedding carries certain amount of risk, therefore, it is advisable to completely eliminate the risk factor, so that you can focus on your wedding, and wedding only.

So you had a long and fulfilling relationship with your ex, but because of some reason, things didn't materialize, and both of you decided to call it quits. As 'responsible young people', you decided to breakup 'amicably', promising each other that you will be friends for life.

Now, it is your wedding, and the thought of whether you should really invite your ex is pestering you. There are many who will advise you to have your ex in attendance at your wedding, but it can have its own associated risks.

True, you are friends with your ex now, but there was a time when you two were in an intimate relation, and that somehow makes your ex the odd one out in the marriage. It can not only be uncomfortable for your soon-to-be bride/groom, but also for the people who are/were friends with you and your ex.

According to some, marriages offer the perfect opportunity for catching up with distant relatives and estranged family members. Well, if you are a do-gooder who doesn't mind his/her wedding to become a grand reconciliation party, you should have no problems with inviting your distant relatives and pissed-off family members.

But you should remember that marriage is the time of fostering new relationships, and about spending quality time with those people who really care about you. Using your marriage as a platform to sort out old-differences can have catastrophic results.

So, it is in your best interest that you stay away from the people who have a grudge against you, or your family.

While you may make it a point to not have strangers at your wedding, there is a likelihood that your parents, or your fiancé's parents may want to include some people, like their colleagues, to the guest list. Well, it is a dilemma which many couples face. The workaround for this is to analyze how important these guests are to your parents.

Are they really that close, or have your parents put their names on the guest list just on a whim. If you are paying for your wedding, and there are budgetary constraints, make it a point to tell your parents why you cannot afford to invite too many people.

Well, a lot of people might have advised you to send out an invite to your boss in person. Here is an opportunity to brown-nose if you make your boss feel as if he is being treated preferentially at your wedding. But you should also remember that inviting your boss has its own pitfalls.

First and foremost, the golden rule is to keep your personal and professional life separate. If you haven't hung out with your boss in the entire duration you have worked under him, inviting him will definitely send signals to your colleagues that you are trying to solicit favors from him.

Besides, the presence of your boss can make you uncomfortable, as you will have to watch your every move, even on the most special day of your life. Think about wedding kisses and impromptu jigs, and then think if you would really want your boss to be there.

As far as your colleagues are concerned, there will always be people who are close to you, with whom you have your lunches and after-work drinks, and who are actively involved in your wedding preparations. Your marriage will not be complete without their presence.

The rest of your colleagues, who are 'colleagues' in the strictest sense, need not be invited to the wedding. This becomes more important when you are expecting a limited number of guests.

A lot of people feel that it is mean and selfish to tell friends to leave their kids at home while they attend your wedding. Nothing against kids, but the reality is that they tend to get bored during the ceremony, and you know what nuisance a bored kid can create.

They scream, squeal, make a mess of the decoration, and create a major hindrance at the wedding.

If you can afford some fun-filled activities for them, they can really add to the whole atmosphere of your wedding, but if you are not in a position to make arrangements to keep them involved, ensure that you explain to your friends why they can't bring their children along.

They say you can change friends, but you can't really change your neighbors. But that doesn't mean that you invite every person who lives down the street, to your wedding. Whether or not neighbors are invited to your wedding depends on the rapport you share with them.

If some of your neighbors are also your friends, and you actually spend your Sundays barbecuing in their lawns, having them at your wedding shouldn't be a problem at all.

On the other hand, if your neighbors aren't a part of your social circle, and the only time you come across them is at the monthly communal meetings, sending out an invite to them is not necessary.

Even if it includes friends you would have loved to be present on your big day. As a host, it is your responsibility to ensure that your guests are comfortable and have a good time. Having a couple of spoilsports will not only make it difficult for your guests, but it will also ruin your efforts of making your wedding memorable. (for the right reasons)

Although this story is based on generalization, you as the bride or the groom are in a good position to know who exactly should be a part of your wedding. It can be that your colleagues, or for that matter, your boss, is a very good friend of yours, so you want to have them around.

All in all, you should think about people who really matter to you, who have stood by you when you were down, who went out of their way to help you when you were in need, and who really love and respect you for what you are. Having them around on your wedding day is a great way of appreciating them for what they have done for you.