5 Wedding Guests Tips for Brides with Few Friends and Family

As a little girl, you probably dreamed of having a big wedding with lots of family and friends. You grew up, were great wedding guest, served as a bridesmaid or wedding attendant a few times, and purchased plenty of gifts for other engaged and married couples. You suspected these people would be there for your big day as well. Your time has arrived, and they're no longer around.

Unforeseen things happen. Your friends moved away, or you moved away. Somehow, your circle of close friends has dwindled, and you might not have enough friends, family, or money to have the kind of wedding that you'd always dreamed of. Follow these simple tips to keep from being stressed or depressed about it. You can still have the event even with a small wedding guest list.

Combine Your Social Events. Weddings usually come with extra events like an engagement party, bridal shower, rehearsal dinners, bachelor parties, and a wedding reception. If you're on a budget or you're leery of inviting the few people you know to the same events again and again, you might consider combining a few of the events.

Nowadays, it's perfectly acceptable to have men and even the groom-to-be at a bridal shower. Combine your engagement party and bridal shower into a wedding shower. Invite all the friends and family that you can think of on both sides of the family tree. It's a perfect solution if you're engagement and wedding are within at least 6-8 months of each other; however if the events are farther part, consider having the engagement party, but combining your bridal shower and bachelorette party.

When combining your bridal shower and bachelorette party, have the event on a Saturday, around 7 or 8pm. That way, people who wouldn't be interested in attending the bachelorette portion can leave before those festivities begin. It only takes a good girlfriend or two to help you have a memorable bachelorette night.

Choose small Venues. Selecting smaller venues for your wedding and reception will make the event look less empty. If you have your choice of churches, look into a small chapel with minimal seating. Think about holding the event at someone's home or backyard. You might rent out a private room in a nice complex in your city as well.

When having no wedding guests is a couple's worry, some suggest eloping or marrying on vacation. If these are viable options for you, then consider them; however, if you want to have the family wedding of your dreams, I do not recommend settling for an elopement or 15 minutes before a judge in a courtroom. You might regret never having a wedding, if you do. Do not be talked out of your wedding, if you really want it.

Have your wedding party serve double duty. A small wedding only needs one or two ushers to keep the aisles and vestibule clear for the bride. Your groomsmen can be affective ushers. Just tell them to arrive early and dressed. If you're short on children, combine or eliminate the roles of the flower girl and ring bearer. Your bridesmaids can transform into hostesses for the reception. I twice transformed from bridesmaid to a hostess, because the brides had lazy hostesses. Things will go seamlessly as long as you clearly define each person's role and make sure they're in the right places at the right times.

If you lack groomsmen and bridesmaids, remember that one is enough. You want the people there to be your best friends, but if it's not possible, choose one or two people that mean something in your life at the current time. Don't feel embarrassed to ask anyone you're not close to. Don't be hurt if someone declines, because these honors come with monetary expenses.

Don't get depressed about your wedding guest list. You're not the only engaged couple who wants to celebrate, but have few friends to share in the joy. With the advent of the Internet and technology, people's social circles seem to be tightening, not widening. You might have 100 Facebook friends, but I doubt they're all interested in attending your wedding. Additionally, as people grow older, their circle of close friends usually shrinks as people pursue their marriage and career goals.

Odds are that your old friends still consider themselves your friends, and will be glad to be there for you on your wedding day. You also might have associates you may not have considered, like co-workers, neighbors, or people that your parents and future in-laws would like to invite. If you have siblings, consider extending an invitation to any of their spouses' family members. Do not beg anyone to attend your wedding, and do not invite people you do not like just so you'll have guests, but do consider all your options before thinking your event will be void of people.

Make RSVP mandatory. Head count is crucial for every wedding guests list, but even more so for smaller ones. Keep a running track of those who RSVP and those who haven't. Call those that haven't once. Ask them for a commitment. If they aren't sure, politely say that you'll put them down as not attending, because the caterer needs a head count. This will probably get them to agree to attend right there on the phone. If they do agree at that point, tell them to call you or email you if anything changes, because the caterer needs to know how many to set up for food service. Say this whether you have a real caterer or not. If your mother's cooking all the food, she's still the "caterer" who needs to know.

Never feel that you can't have the wedding you really want for fear you won't have any wedding guests to share in your joy. Remember that the wedding is about finding that one person who will always be there for you. Small weddings have their benefits, too. The intimacy makes it more meaningful, the costs are lower, and you'll most likely have less drama.