Cut that out girl!!!!!!

Hi everyone! 

Guest list time! Chile, I was dreadin it from the time I hit back in Bim October 8th 2012. And here it be, MURRR DERRRR!

For my engaged and even unwed ladies, the wedding day is about you and your husband-to-be. Do not be BULLIED, shanghaied or horsewhipped into having to invite 4000 million people you don't know. Thank God our families are NOT like that. We have a formula for deciding who we want there, it's called communication. 

Now Andy and his parents will sort out the family and friends, his parents feel we would appreciate having as extended guests. My family? Has left the guest list to me and my mother. And I have started the chop chop process. This process has caused me to become ruthless. Yea I said it, all of my family and friends CANNOT attend. IT is NOT possible. We simply can't afford it. There are plenty people I, Heidi personally, would LOVE to host at our wedding. But contrary to popular belief, I am NOT a millionairess. So that idea of hosting 200-300 (guest list on my side originally was about 300, no seriously family alone was 200 both sides hahahhahha JOKES)  people went out the window HURRIEDLY! 

Guest List got CUT: Need to ease ya pocket? Cut the list FIRST!

If I were to include alll the people who invited me to theirs, my THOUGHTS would go broke much less muh bank account. Sooo, Andy and I had to make some tough decisions (mostly me) considering that my family on BOTH sides is ENORMOUS! All we've been hearing is, "wha I don't know what Heidi is gonna do, she has sooo much family." Well hear dis. Heidi has it COVERED! And all who don't like it, quite frankly WOULD LUMP IT!

MYOB - google it! LOL  will I be there?? Are you inviting me? What are your colours? How many flowergirls? Groomsmen, dish are they cute?? No but seriously, don't you WANT aspects of your wedding to be a surprise for your guests? Including WHO you invite? Makes the event so much more exciting! 

I cannot stress enough, my family is huge! His is much smaller, although we are always meeting someone new from His dad's side lol. I really want to make Andy happy on Our Day, I want to be happy, And EVERY day after the wedding we want to be happy. We don't want to be bogged down with big bills years and years after because we overextended ourselves. POINTLESS. For what? For people to say how lovely the wedding was and talk about it. Not me and dat pelee case boahsie! Oh and let's not forget when time comes to HUMBLY request a gift or 'monetary contribution' you gets next to NONE. I think not. 

it's all about the dollars and cents. Save where you can! 

Alright, so there's the family and the guest list. We love our family, but ammm, we are pretty well organised over here. We know what we want, how we want and how we aim to get it. Plus Andy is a man with a plan, he is so calculated it ain't funny. And he is very level headed. On the other hand, I'm the free spirited, creative type, happy go lucky, but when it comes down to business and especially MY business, I get down to it. i do NOT mess around. And I do NOT like people assuming they know me or mine, if they don't. Focus on you, and I'll do me. Oooook? 

I LOVE this! 

Suddenly, lots of our family and a few friends want to 'help'. Don't get me wrong, some of them mean well, at SOME point we will need help, but right now, we good tho, but thanks!  I'm glad they are excited, BUT, this is OUR wedding. Why don't you do this, go there, you don't need that, why would you invite them? Ok I told so and so they are invited, they are invited right?. Wait wait wait wait wait! Who's wedding is it anyway? Now I do NOT mind the "how are plans coming along?" question, that seems to be the norm. But the, what are your colours, where it gine be? how much people ya got? can I be your bridesmaid? wait, Andy got a best man? who it is? HOLLLLDDD UP!?!?! where, when, why, who, what, now? I'm tired just typing it lol! Read photo caption!

Monster-in-Law: One of my allltime FAVE movies. But at the end of the day, Charlie was right, Vi had her time, it's time for her to step aside! My mother-in-law-to-be is NOTHING like her btw! Just clarifying!

Andy and I? We brainstormed, took an idea from a friend's wedding we attended recently (thank you girrrl) and Voila. Problem solved. It may mean that our actual wedding day is ALOT more intimate than I had anticipated, but shouldn't it be that way? Shouldn't it consist of those family members and a few friends you chat with and hang with regularly? I think so. No hard feelings to my extended family or nuff friends. Please don't worry, we have something in the works for alllll of our guests. We just have to be conscious of our spending. Especially these days. 

Wanna be like this on wedding day?

Or would you prefer this?  I know this is our route. No misery over  money or people you didn't want at your wedding for us! 

Hard decisions to make friends, yes yes. But let us keep things in perspective. Go broke for one day, or ENJOY the time leading up to, day of, AND after so that the beginning of your marriage is not just about making ends meet. But further exploring your relationship, growing together and loving each other. That's what we want. As I mentioned, we have a plan for those we can't have on Wedding Day. And we are going to work it. We hope that our friends and family will be understanding, but if they're not TOO bad. I love my family very, very much. But this is their time to prove just how much they love me. My extended family members on my mother's side know me very, very well. They are well aware of my love for them, but I am a no nonsense person. And I'm not a child anymore, this isn't a children's party. Chicken wings and Pringles are NOT gonna cut it.  We don't want a potluck wedding, we want a well organised, well catered event. No hard feelings people, it is what it is. Our Wedding Day :)  

Since we LOVE to offer some measure of guidance in our blog, use this chart. I find it is quite helpful and to the point. Don't you? 

Keep the guest list tight. Less is MORE. However, please do explain to whoever you don't intend to invite, be they family or friends that you won't be inviting them. It takes the pressure off and stops the humiliation of having to explain months or years later when you see them that you simply 'couldn't afford it'. While that may be true, copping out is NEVER a good plan. Stop worrying about whether they invited you to theirs or not. Their circumstances are NOT yours. MOST people will be understanding. Those that aren't, well you know now who your real friends are. 

(Photos taken from google images).

Next week!! Engagement Photos!!!! Woop woop!! 

love,

Heidi xoxo