Conveying No Extra Guests On Wedding Invitations

Wedding planning can be stressful, especially when it comes to navigating the guest list. One tricky situation that often arises is how to politely inform guests that they cannot bring extra guests or plus-ones. Here are some tips on how to word your wedding invitations to say no to extra guests without sounding rude.

Include only the guest's name on the invitation

When it comes to wedding invitations, there are many ways to politely indicate that guests are not allowed to bring extra guests. One way is to include only the invited guest's name on the invitation. Here are some tips and suggestions for doing this:

Use the Guest's Full Name

It is important to use your guest's full name on the invitation, rather than initials, nicknames, or shortened names. This helps to ensure clarity and formality. For example, you would address a male guest as "Mr. Michael Rodriguez" and a female guest as "Miss" or "Ms." followed by their full name.

Specify the Guest Count

If you are inviting only certain family members or individuals within a household, be sure to include only their names on the invitation. This helps to indicate that other members of the household are not invited. For example, if you are inviting a couple with the same last name, you would address the invitation as "Mr. and Mrs. James Porter".

Handle Titles and Professional Designations Correctly

Use the correct honorifics and professional titles, such as "Mr.", "Mrs.", "Miss", "Mx.", "Ms.", and "Dr.". For formal invitations, spell out these titles in full, such as "Doctor" or "Junior". For example, for a non-binary guest, use "Mx." as a gender-neutral honorific.

Provide Clear RSVP Instructions

On the RSVP card, you can indicate the number of seats reserved for each guest. For example, you can write, "We have reserved x seats in your honour" or "x of x will attend". This helps to set clear expectations and prevent guests from assuming they can bring extra guests.

Communicate Through Your Wedding Website

If you have a wedding website, use it to communicate your guest list restrictions. Add information about sticking to your guest list and how you are approaching plus-ones. This helps to ensure that your guests are well-informed and aware of your expectations.

Be Mindful of Special Circumstances

While it is important to set clear boundaries and stick to them, be open to considering special circumstances. For example, if a guest gets engaged after your invitations are sent out, it is considerate to call or send a thoughtful message to include their partner. Use your best judgment and be willing to be flexible in exceptional cases.

Remove any additional spacing or lines on the invitation

When designing your wedding invitations, it's important to consider not only the font and text positioning but also the spacing and lines. Here are some tips to remove any additional spacing or lines on your wedding invitations:

• Select the text: Start by selecting the portion of the text where you want to remove the spacing or lines. If you want to adjust the entire document, press Ctrl+A (Command+A on Mac) to select all the text.
• Go to Line and Paragraph Spacing: Depending on the software you're using, navigate to the appropriate menu. For Microsoft Word, go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing. Here, you can choose the desired line spacing option.
• Adjust line spacing: Select the line spacing option that removes any additional spacing. The default spacing is usually around 1.15 lines, but you can choose a smaller spacing option to reduce the space between lines.
• Fine-tune spacing: If you need more precise control over the spacing, select "Line Spacing Options" and adjust the settings under "Spacing." You can also adjust the "Before" and "After" settings to fine-tune the spacing between paragraphs.
• Remove double line spacing: If your document has double line spacing, you can remove it by going to Design > Paragraph Spacing and choosing "No Paragraph Space" to single space your document.
• Keep lines together: If you want to ensure that certain lines or paragraphs stay together on the same page, select the desired text and go to Format > Paragraph > Line and Page Breaks. Then, select "Keep lines together."

By following these steps, you can remove any unwanted spacing or lines from your wedding invitations. Remember to review your design carefully before finalising and printing the invitations.

Make a note on your wedding website or RSVP page

When it comes to wedding planning, there are a lot of people to please and many decisions to make. One of the trickier decisions is whether to allow plus-ones and how to communicate this to your guests. Here are some ideas for notes to add to your wedding website or RSVP page to politely indicate that no extra guests are permitted:

Homepage

Add a note at the top or middle of your homepage, such as:

• "We kindly request that only the invited guests attend. Thank you for your understanding."
• "We are so excited to celebrate with you! A quick heads-up that only those listed on the invitation are invited."

RSVP Page

On the page with instructions on how to RSVP, consider including a similar message, such as:

• "Please note that we are only able to accommodate guests whose names are listed on the invitations. We appreciate your understanding."
• "Due to limited seating and venue capacity, we kindly ask that only those invited attend. Thank you!"

Online RSVP Form

If you are using an online RSVP form, you can also add a note there, such as:

• "We have reserved [number] seats in your honour. Please let us know how many of these seats will be filled."
• "We have reserved [number] seats for you. Please confirm how many of these you will be using."

Email or Text Message Link

If you are sending a link via email or text message, you can also add a note to this, such as:

• "A friendly reminder that we are only able to accommodate guests whose names are listed on the invitations. Thank you for your support!"
• "Just a reminder that we are keeping our wedding ceremony and reception quite intimate, so only those listed on the invitation are invited. We appreciate your understanding."

Remember to keep your wording polite and gracious, and feel free to add a personal touch to match the tone of your wedding. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

Add a note to the email or text message link

If you are using printed invitations, it is best to avoid any additional spacing or lines that might suggest "extra space" for guests to bring along a plus-one. However, if you are sending out invitations via email or text message, you will have more flexibility with the wording. Here are some suggestions for how to politely inform your guests that no extra guests are permitted:

"Due to the intimate nature of our ceremony and reception, we kindly request that you do not bring any additional guests."

"We are unable to accommodate extra guests due to limited seating and catering constraints. Thank you for your understanding."

"Our venue has limited capacity, so we ask that you kindly respect our wishes and do not bring any additional guests."

"We are only able to accommodate the guests named on the invitation. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to celebrating with you."

"Due to budget and space constraints, we are unable to accommodate extra guests. We hope you understand that we want to keep the celebration intimate."

Remember to maintain a friendly and polite tone in your message, and consider including a personal touch to reflect your relationship with the guest. It is also a good idea to provide a clear reason for the restriction, such as venue capacity or budget limitations, to help your guests understand your decision.

Politely inform guests that you are having a small wedding

Planning a wedding can be stressful, especially when it comes to navigating the guest list. If you're having a small wedding, it's important to communicate this clearly and politely to your guests to avoid any confusion or hurt feelings. Here are some ways to politely inform your guests that you are having a small wedding:

Be Direct and Honest

Explain to your guests that you are having an intimate wedding with a limited number of guests. Be clear about who is invited and who is not. You can say something like, "We are having an intimate wedding with only our immediate family and closest friends in attendance." This way, your guests will understand that the small guest list is not personal but rather a conscious decision to keep the celebration small.

Emphasize Budget Constraints

If you are comfortable doing so, you can explain that your wedding budget only allows for a limited number of guests. You could say, "We are trying to save for our future and keep our wedding expenses within a certain budget, so we are unable to accommodate additional guests." Most people will understand the financial constraints of planning a wedding.

Highlight Venue Capacity

Another way to politely decline extra guests is to explain the limitations of your venue. You can say, "Our venue has a strict capacity limit, and we want to ensure that our guests are comfortable, so we are unable to accommodate plus-ones or additional guests." This approach shifts the focus away from the guest list and onto the venue's restrictions.

Provide Alternative Ways to Celebrate

Even if someone is not invited to the wedding, you can offer alternative ways to celebrate with them. For example, you could say, "We would love to celebrate with you at a later date! We are planning a post-wedding get-together, and we would be delighted if you could join us then." This way, they know that you value their presence in your life, even if they cannot be at the wedding itself.

Use Clear Wording on Invitations

When addressing your invitations, be clear and specific about who is invited. Write the names of the invited guests on the envelope and the RSVP cards. Avoid using phrases like "and guest" unless you are intentionally offering a plus-one. This will help set clear expectations and reduce the likelihood of guests assuming they can bring extra people.

Communicate Early

Don't wait until the last minute to inform your guests about the small wedding. Start communicating your plans as early as possible, especially if you know certain individuals are expecting an invitation. This will give them time to process the information and reduce the risk of hurt feelings.

Remember, it's your wedding, and you are entitled to celebrate it the way you want. Be firm but kind in your communications, and your guests will understand and respect your decisions.

Frequently asked questions