Guest list wish list

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Your Bristol & Somerset Wedding editor Kelly Andrews discusses how to streamline that all-important guest list into the perfect intimate wedding version.

One of the toughest parts of planning an intimate wedding is narrowing down the guest list. After all, deciding just who makes it into the very select group is an important decision; presumably the reason you've opted for intimate is that you don't want to invite Uncle Tom Cobley and all so be careful not to jeopardise that vision.

Start by thinking about those you can't envision your day without. Think of those people who've had a positive impact on your life and your relationship. Receiving a wedding invitation is an honour, it's a way of thanking them for being there for you both. You want to create an environment of love, support and well wishes, so curating a list of those closest to your hearts will help you to achieve this.

Sit down together, just the two of you, and come up with a list of everyone you'd consider inviting, then whittle it down from there. Eventually, you'll be left with a top tier of your very nearest and dearest. Family politics can often come into play, so it might be wise to talk to parents/guardians before you finalise things though, just to make sure you're not making a huge faux pas that will ultimately cause you stress and tension. But in general, if you haven't seen them since you were six and you have no intention of doing so again after the big day, there's no need to invite them. They should understand. Remember, you're buying these people dinner, and you want to feel happy about doing so for those who are by your side on this most momentous of days.