Bride's Guide: Who Should You Exclude From Your Guest List?

By Oscar Collins 

When you announce your engagement, most people you know will want to come to your wedding. They look forward to celebrating your love and having some fun, but what if there are certain people you’d rather not have at your ceremony?

Here’s how to determine who you should exclude from your guest list and how to make sure they stay home without causing an uproar.

1. Children Under 18

Inviting or disinviting kids to your wedding requires certain invitation etiquette, like making the decision as early as possible. Many couples don’t want kids under 18 at their wedding because they’re loud, make messes and require supervision.

If those factors cause you to stress or you’d rather have an adults-only party, politely indicate that kids should stay home on your invitations by noting your desire for an adult event.

2. Anyone’s +1 Invite

After drafting your guest list and sending your invitations, people will reach out and ask if they can bring someone as their personal invite. You can prepare for this inevitability by making at least three drafts of your guest list, one of which includes +1 invites.

If you can’t afford to add them to your catering estimate or don’t want a big party, you can always narrow down your guest list by excluding personal invitations.

3. People With Negative Attitudes

Everyone has a friend or family member that generally has a negative attitude. You don’t need unsupportive or mean-spirited people attending one of the happiest days of your life.

The weeks and months leading up to your wedding should utilize a simple routine that eliminates extra stress. Removing someone based on their known demeanor is more than enough reason to leave them off your guest list.

4. Anyone’s Previous Flame

Weddings are not the places to reunite yourself or anyone else with an ex. Even if you consider yourselves friends, it’s always easier for everyone to leave previous flames off your invite list. Leave room for the people who don’t share a complicated history with you because they’ll only add joy to your big day.

5. Last-Minute Forced Invites

You might be days away from your wedding and still get a call from someone asking to invite a friend or relative. Last-minute pressure is one of the most common stressors for engaged couples because people expect them to cave.

Don’t fall for the emotional trap. If someone didn’t make the cut back when you were setting final guest counts with your caterers, they don’t need to be at your ceremony.

Exclude These People From Your Wedding

Who should you exclude from your guest list? The answer is simple — anyone you don’t want to see on your big day. Whether it’s young kids, nasty relatives or strangers with +1 invites, you don’t have to send an invitation to anyone who won’t make you happy.