5 ways to stay on top of your Guest List
The Budget Planners 'Achilles heel' - The Guest List!
Managing your guest list is critical in planning and putting together the details of your event. It is the driving factor behind your budget. It is determined before any serious decisions are made, because it is a factor in most of the decisions you have to make later on in in the planning process.
Here are some tips to stay on top of your Guest List and make the most of your Budget!
#1: Start Early
We know this is one of the most stressful parts of planning ANY event, but it's also critical to entire planning process. These numbers determine your catering, decor, venue, your BUDGET. Get those numbers out on paper early.
#2: Determine a ballpark number of persons you can host
This may be guided by your budget i.e. how many persons your ballpark budget can cover & the capacity of your venue. (Not sure how to get that budget going either? See our blog on that here). Alternatively, you may just know that "I only want xx people at my event."
Remember: The bigger the number, the more money you have to spend!
#3: Create your ultimate list of names and then start prioritizing who NEEDS to attend.
Yea, because the reality is you know you don't need to invite everyone you wrote down. During this process, also determine if your guest(s) need to have a plus one. If it's a wedding, and your guest is not married, you might want to consider if you've ever met the person; will your guest know anyone else at the wedding who will also not have a plus one? When was the last time you saw or spoke to this person?
The NEED to attend persons will be your A list.
Everyone else is your B list.
#4: Set up an RSVP...and follow through with it
...even if it means picking up the phone to call them yourself to get a response. There are a lot of online sites that can help you manage your RSVP list (eg. www.rsvpify.com) and make it easy for your guests, but the reality is people still don't do it. So pick up the phone or delegate someone to assist you with those calls. It's not cool seeing empty seats in your event. Each seat represents a cost (decor, catering etc). The closer you can get your guest list to confirmed attendees the better for you, your peace of mind and your budget!
#5: Manage your list.
You will constantly need to be aware of your numbers. Once an A list invitee indicates they can't attend do you replace them with someone on your B list or do you reduce your guest count (and be happy for the savings)? Have a plan for how you will treat with this. Do you need to have special accommodations in place for someone on your list (VIP guest with protocol requirements, diet, physical access etc).
Your guest list is a work in progress. It is important to have that working list throughout your planning. Have a specific question about your list, post in the comments below or send us a private message. We'll love to help!
