The Big Snip!

Its the topic that no one likes to talk about or read about:The Guest list!

Truth is the more people you invite the less money you will have. Wining and dining your guest can easily burn a hole in your pockets. However, it is never fun to tell someone they are not invited to your grand event. So how do you cope, keep your family, friends and significant other happy?

Here are my tips:

1. Remember the Bottom Line: This is YOUR wedding, first and your guest second. Yea sure, your guest are the well wishers who make your party a blast but you only need two witnesses at a ceremony.

2. Only your nearest and dearest should attend your event. The mailman, the nice lady at the grocery store, that friend who never calls or writes, that weird guy your Dad knows but you don't ARE NOT your nearest and dearest. Its true. If they don't know your parents, haven't called you in the past three months ( favors don't count), aren't close family friends who care about you personally, aren't close people you can confine in about everything (best friend level), and or well wisher who You and your mate want there, then they shouldn't be there. You should keep your moola.

3. Make an A list and a B list. A is for the V.I.P. people like your immediate family, bridal party, childhood friends, etc. The B list is for the cool folks who are not close but are still a part of your life. Whatever you do, don't pick up the b list unless some one from the A list cant make it. Its vital that you don't pick it up out of guilt, read tip #1.

4. Keep your wedding plans private...or as private as you can make it. This is one from the Celeb textbook 101. Celebs lie all the time about the info and details of their weddings.With good reason too, cus when they blab they get tons of press at their doorstep.In everyday life, laying low can help avoid awkward questions like "Am I invited?" , "Can I come?", "When/where is it happening?" and the nosy "Whats his/her name, do I know him/her?"

5. Just say NO-GO. If ever presented with any of the awkward questions and the answer is negative...be as graceful as possible. Be honest, its OK as long as you are nice and respectful. Saying that you are having a small wedding due to money issues or that you only wanted close family at your wedding or whatever is okay as long as you are honest and thankful. Say " Thank you I would've loved to invite everyone I know. However we decided that we wanted......" or " We could not invite everyone we wanted to but we are having a house warming on this day...."

6. Forget the negative and focus on the positive. In life, there are people who are not happy.period. During happy times you want to avoid these people. There are things that happen in life that are not always good but you want to try and stay positive because in the end its about your happiness and your life with someone you love.