Bask in the glow of your new engagement—and as a newlywed bride-to-be, you still have a guest list to write. Navigating a wedding add-on for your big day is no easy feat. “To those couples who have faced this hurdle in their wedding planning process, I hope you can take comfort in knowing that you are not alone,” said celebrity wedding planner Matthew David Hopkins. “Millions of of couples have or are going through this difficult phase of the planning process and have overcome this hurdle.” Stress on your special day who deserves a plus one? No need to worry—follow these tried-and-true wedding extras.
1. Married, engaged and cohabiting guests are traditionally given a plus one
based on experience, Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette Said that each guest’s spouse, fiancé and common-law partner should receive an invitation. “Even if you’ve never met or they’re not your favorite people, your guests are part of the package,” explain authors Anne and Lizzie Post.
You should invite some other hidden guests on your wedding day? The spouse or significant other of the master of ceremonies, and both parents of the ring bearer and flower girl.
2. Everyone in the wedding party deserves a bonus
Rules about cohabitation, dating, and marriage are at Your wedding party was thrown into the clouds. Not only does a happy wedding make a happy couple happy, but allowing a bridesmaid to bring her new boyfriend, for example, is a small thank you, says wedding expert Amber Harrison, in exchange for Her efforts and support. blinds. Think of it as a “thank you” for every occasion your bridal party has had to organize and attend over the past year.
3. There is a clear standard for extra guests
Assuming that if you allow a guest outside the wedding party to invite a more casual partner or friend, then you should allow
all Single guests do this. (“It’s hard to give singles one plus one and everyone else,” write Anne and Lizzie Post. “You risk hurting your feelings.”) Weddings, however, are expensive, and adding so many extra names is right Might not be feasible for a couple and their budget.
In this case, the post recommends having a clear, easy-to-interpret criterion for who can invite whom — for example, only allowing your single waiter to bring one extra person.
4. Don’t worry about returning the plus one
Even if you’re allowed to take a date to a friend’s wedding, don’t feel obligated to return the plus one (seriously). “Your wedding is different than theirs, and can be different,” says Hopkins. “They may not be happy with your decision in the first place, so it’s best to communicate and explain why you made that decision.” Most importantly, go the extra mile with your seating chart to make sure wedding attendees know them well people sitting together, or at a table with personalities who make them feel comfortable and welcome.
5. Add a plus one to the invitation
How do you inform your guests if they have to fly alone? It starts with the envelope. Very traditional wedding invitations have an outer and inner envelope. The outer layer is the addresses of the recipients (guests or couples you know), then the inner layer lists the names of all invitees, such as children or a plus sign. “That envelope says a lot. If it’s just your name, they don’t offer a plus one. If it’s for you and a guest, it says so,” Harrison said.
