Should You Invite Your Old Friends to Your Wedding? 

Deciding who to invite to your wedding can be difficult, but it is essential.

You may think that it is just sitting down and making a list. However, it is more than that.

There are people you’d want to invite and others you’d love to skip depending on your budget.

Should You Invite Your Old Childhood Friends to Your Wedding?

It depends. If your old friends are dear to you and you often talk and meet occasionally or frequently, it is wise to invite them. But, if you haven’t spoken to them in years and aren’t close anymore, you don’t have to feel compelled to invite them. What’s important when deciding whether to invite them or not is how close your relationship is. If you aren’t close, it’s not necessary to invite them because most won’t even show up. But if your relationship is still close, it may be impolite if you don’t invite them.

See Also: How Many People Should You Invite to Your Wedding?

Four Questions to Ask Yourself When Deciding to Invite an Old Friend To Your Wedding

Although you may want to invite many people to your wedding, financial constraints and venue capacity may sometimes limit you. If you are trying to decide which friend to invite to your wedding, use these questions as a guide.

1. When Did You See Them Last?

Ideally, if you haven’t seen the person in 12 to 18 months or haven’t had a deep phone conversation in a while, it won’t be a problem if you don’t invite them.

2. Do You Know Their Day-To-Day Life?

You should only invite people who are invested in your life and relationship and vice versa.

And this isn’t just about who you are today.

It is also about who you were ten years ago and who you’ll be ten years to come.

3. Did You Attend Their Wedding?

It may be courteous to invite someone who invited you to their wedding.

But this isn’t always a must. If you haven’t been in contact since their wedding, there’s no need to invite them.

There isn’t a need to reciprocate the invite if you aren’t close anymore. But, if you want the person back in your life, inviting them may be a good gesture.

4. How Close Are You To Your Old Friends?

Do you spend birthdays and holidays with this person?

If you do, they are close to you, and you should consider inviting them.

But you also need to ensure you are comfortable around the person.

You may be hanging out on these occasions, yes, but remember that your wedding is a personal experience.

So, you only want people you can loosen the belt in front of.

Four Things to Consider When Making Your Guest List

1. Budget

Remember that wedding costs are usually calculated on a per person basis. So, the more people you invite, the more money you will spend.

Research says that an average couple spends $215 per guest.

Hence if you cut down even one guest, you could save up some dollars.

2. Those Who Get a Say

People funding the wedding will always have a say (partially or fully) on who gets invited.

This may sometimes cause disagreements, but please remember to be fair and equitable to avoid more drama. Once you figure out the total guest count, divide it by half.

The first half should go to you and your spouse for your friends and loved ones.

Then, you can divide the remaining half between your parents and in-laws.

You can allow them to invite whomever they want, provided they stick to the required range.

3. Wedding Style

Do you picture a large group of people dancing on the floor or only your loved ones enjoying a family-style meal?

These two styles call for different headcounts.

A small wedding is suitable for people who want an intimate and personal vibe.

But if you can’t picture your big day without your friends and family, you should extend your guest list.

Also, consider whether you’ll do a destination wedding or a hometown one.

Usually, the guest list for a destination wedding is smaller because of the logistics.

But if the event is within your location, you can have a large crowd.

4. Venue Capacity

How many people can the wedding guest accommodate? It is advisable to have an estimated headcount before searching for a venue.

But, if you already have a venue in mind, you need to make sure your invite fits within that space capacity.

Also, if your ceremony and reception are in different places, consider the capacities for both.

Once you have settled on the venue(s), you can finalize your invite list and ensure that you invite only those who fit in that space.

Who Must You Invite to Your Wedding?

The bridal and bachelorette party should be invited to the wedding itself.

Unless you only need an office bridal shower.

Another set of people are the guests that you won’t think will not make it to your wedding.

This is a bit sneaky, but worth the try.

If you have a friend with a strict work schedule, you can send an invite anyway for keepsakes.

Also, people you mailed a save-the-date card to and any person who will make you happy should be part of your guest list.

So going by these rules, you should invite your parents, siblings, close friends, children, grandparents, nieces, nephews, close aunties and uncles, a wider circle of pals, close cousins, and close work pals.

Who Mustn’t You Invite to Your Wedding?

You don’t have to send invitations to all your co-workers, everyone on your parents’ guest list, people who won’t support your marriage and someone who invited you to their wedding.

Conclusion

Inviting your old friends to your wedding can be a nice gesture.

But you don’t have to feel compelled to. The main thing to consider is whether or not you are close to that person.

If your relationship is distant, you don’t have to include them on your wedding guest list.

However, it may be impolite not to invite a friend who is still close to you.

References

https://www.brides.com/story/do-i-have-to-invite-friend-to-wedding-if-i-went-to-hers