Ask Liz: 200 guests might as well be a million (Los Angeles Wedding Planner)

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Whoa. Photo: EMP Photography

Dear Liz, 

We’re planning our wedding next April. My fiancee has a way bigger family than I do, and  her parents are kind of social. Her mom told me this week that we’re going to have at least 200 guests, and my my fiancee also thinks that’s no big deal. That’s so many people, and it makes me uncomfortable. I know about maybe 40 people that I was going to invite, and I don’t know if I’ve ever even been in the same room with 200 people. Her parents are helping us pay for it, but we’re on our own figuring out how to do it. How do you manage a wedding with that many people??

Signed, 

Crowd gone wild

Dear Wild, 

Heh. Odds are that you have been in a  few rooms before with that many people in it, but you probably weren’t hosting dinner for all of them! But, yeah, it’s a lot of people – or at least it can certainly feel like it. almost 200 people you don’t know, 200 meals, 20 tables, 20 centerpieces, 600 alcoholic drinks (yes, I’m serious), so, yeah, big day. You can certainly raise the case for a smaller list – start by saying ” I really want/envisioned a smaller wedding, is there a way to compromise and cut that number in half/whatever number I feel better about?”  

If your fiancee and her Mom both see it as a given, then that might not work, though. If you want tips  on how to manage it, just do what I do and break it into tasks and pieces, instead of focusing so much on sharing a room with a bunch of strangers. I don’t know how far you are into checking off your wedding tasks, but focus on what else needs to get done, and just keep moving through it. And, yes, I’m going to be slightly self-serving and recommend getting a planner, if you can.  If you are feeling overwhelmed now, it will certainly help, especially on the day of. 
Your wedding day itself isn’t going to be as much of a feeding frenzy as you think, if that’s any consolation. Lots of eyes, all on you, but you will and should be able to hang out with everyone that you personally know and love. As a matter of fact, make sure that you do.  It’s a lot, but it’s also one day. You’ve got everything you need to handle it. 

See you at the end of the aisle, 

Liz Coopersmith
Silver Charm Events
www.silvercharmevents.com

Let’s talk about your wedding:
323-592-9318
liz@silvercharmevents.com