How to Manage Your Wedding Guest List

Your wedding day is going to be one of the most extraordinary and important days of your life. It goes without saying that both you and your partner are going to want all of your closest friends and family there to celebrate with you as well. But when it comes to creating your wedding guest list, are you feeling a bit lost and overwhelmed? If so, we’re ready to help!

Just like you, we here at Melhorn Manor want your wedding day to be just as blissful and elegant as you do. Owners Allory and Jessica Melhorn will be with you every step of the way of your wedding, right down to being a guest list manager if you need it. And while we’ll always be happy to answer your questions to help you have the perfect barn wedding in Lancaster, PA, we also have a few tips that we’d like to share when it comes to creating your wedding guest list.

Talk to Your Partner

It is so important to talk to your partner about the number of guests you expect at your wedding. The two of you should sit down and write out a “dream” wedding guest list that contains all of the people you could both possibly want at your wedding. Even if you have to make cuts going forward, it’s easier to start with more and cut down now than to add on as you move forward.

Don’t Forget the Plus-One’s and Children

Your wedding day is a day to celebrate love, and it’s likely your guests are going to want to bring someone with them to share in that celebration. If your maid of honor has a significant other, it’s polite to include a “plus one” on her invitation—and that goes for the majority of your guests. Not everyone has to have a plus one, but make sure you think of them when you’re making that dream guest list.

In addition, you’ll also want to think about whether or not you and your partner want to have children at your wedding. Depending on the size of your guest list, this may not be an issue, but the more people you invite with children, the larger your list may end up being. Just remember that it’s your day, and you get to have the final say!

Be Realistic With Your Budget

So while we talked about having a dream list, sometimes creating that wedding guest list will make you realize it may be a little too large for your wedding budget. When all the numbers are in, a lot of couples are shocked by the cost of food for that many people, but it doesn’t have to be a stressful situation.

We get it—you want to invite all of your friends and family. The more the merrier, right? But when you have to start making some tough choices and cut down on your list, rest assured knowing that we’ll be there to help. We want to help you find a way to make sure everyone you want at your wedding is there to celebrate!

This starts by talking to your partner or guest list manager. Decide if being able to invite all of your college friends is more important than something like having custom drinks at the bar. If your guests are that important to you, there are always ways to cut back in other areas to save money and ultimately allow you to afford more people attending your special day.

Pick a Venue That Can Accommodate All of Your Guests

And last, but certainly not least, make sure you choose a wedding venue that can accommodate your wedding no matter the size. If you invite 200 people, but you have to add 40 more at the last minute (let’s hope not!), you can at least rest assured that a venue like Melhorn Manor can accommodate that capacity. For example, our Equestrian Barn can accommodate guest numbers anywhere between 30 and 300 people!

How Melhorn Manor Can Help With Creating your Wedding Guest List and More

Knowing that your venue can be flexible will take a lot of stress off of your already full plate. Here at Melhorn Manor, we pride ourselves on being a premier spot for elegant barn weddings in Lancaster, PA. And when we say premier, we mean it—we’ll help you with your guest list, direct traffic, manage vendors, keep your timeline for the day, and much more. Our team is there for you, no matter what.

Owners Allory and Jess are available to answer your questions by email, phone call, or text whenever you have questions or concerns about the big day. Yes, we’re a wedding venue, but above all else, we want your day to be refreshing and full of happy memories.