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Stop Inviting People You Don’t Like to Your Wedding – THE PERSPECTIVE OF A COORDINATOR AT WEDDING Chapels Near Me
- Jennifer Wilson
- Mar 19
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 26
Let’s be honest—building your wedding guest list can be brutal. It's the first "stressful" wedding planning task engaged couples have to conquer. Between family expectations, social obligations, and the dreaded plus-one debates, many of our couples at Celestial Farms and other wedding chapels near me end up inviting people they barely know (or don’t even like) to one of the most important days of their lives- their wedding day.
Disclaimer: At Celestial Farms although we do give our couple's advice like this we ALWAYS do it respectfully and tactfully. And we fully support their approach to these issues! This Blog is supposed to be a little entertaining!
At Celestial Farms, we see our couples struggle with this all the time. With a 150-guest capacity, our brides and grooms often feel pressure to fill every seat, even when they’d rather keep things intimate or close to home. And let’s not forget the plus-one problem—many couples feel obligated to give every wedding guest they invite a +1, even when it doesn’t make sense. Most of the time the pressure comes from our couples' parents. Now hear me out moms and dads, I know your child only gets married once and this feels like a big moment in your lives too. But this day, your child's wedding day, should be about what matters most to them-the Bride and the Groom.
Ladies and Gentleman.... here’s the truth: If you wouldn't take this person out for dinner, drinks and dancing (and pay for it) why would you invite them to the most important day of your life? Why would you spend that kind of money on one extra person that you will NOT miss if they don't show up? No money should be wasted on things that don't matter to the Bride and Groom, no matter who's paying. Allocate that money to something more meaningful like maybe professional flower arrangements or an upgraded menu, money for your honeymoon or even your first home! Weddings are expensive! Don't waste one dime of your budget on things (or people) that don't matter.
Wedding Chapels Near Me That Exceed Expectations: Celestial Farms
1. The Myth of “You Have to Invite Them”
Somewhere along the line, weddings became less about the Bride and Groom's sentiments and more about keeping the peace in many families. But do you really need to invite:
• That cousin you haven’t seen in years?
• Your mom’s co-worker who once gave you a birthday card in 2005?
• Your college roommate’s new boyfriend who you’ve never met?
You don’t owe anyone an invite just because they exist in your life or your parents life.
2. The Plus-One Problem: Should Every Guest Get One?
Want to know one of the biggest guest list headaches? The expectation that every guest gets a plus-one. At Celestial Farms, we see many brides feeling guilty about this decision time and time again. Here’s the advice we have for them:
• Plus-ones should be for serious relationships. Married couples, engaged couples, or long-term partners? Yes. Someone’s Tinder date from last weekend? Not necessary.
• You're allowed to set clear rules. It’s YOUR wedding day. If you’re allowing plus-ones only for certain guests (like the wedding party), that’s perfectly acceptable. You can do what you want on your wedding day.
• Your budget matters! Whether it's your money or your parent's are helping or paying, it matters. If every guest gets a plus-one, that’s double the catering, seating, and drink costs. Wouldn’t you rather spend that money on something meaningful?
Dreamed of Loubitin's for your wedding day your entire life? BUY THEM!
You've always wanted a string duo at your ceremony? BOOK THEM!
New or soon to be new homeowners? INVEST THE MONEY INSTEAD!
Every seat matters. Why fill them with strangers?
3. Big Wedding vs. Micro Wedding: Do You Really Want a Huge Crowd?
Many couples start by Googling "wedding chapels near me" and "wedding venues in Michigan", and they make a guest list a mile long. But once the stress of the guest list kicks in, and they start to break down the cost per person at 2025-2026 wedding venues in Michigan they realize they’d be happier with a micro wedding—a celebration with only 50 or so people who truly matter. We love micro-weddings at Celestial Farms!
Wedding Chapels Near Me That Offer
Micro-Weddings: Celestial Farms
Reasons couples at Celestial Farms choose a smaller wedding:
• Less stress. No awkward and obligated small talk with distant relatives.
• More meaningful moments. You’ll actually have time to enjoy your favorite people.
• Budget control. Instead of feeding people you barely know, you can make upgrades on catering, top shelf liquors, decor, an upgraded photography package, entertainment or your honeymoon.
4. How to Cut the Guest List Without Feeling Guilty
It’s not easy to say no, but here’s how to do it:
• Use the “Would I Buy Them Dinner?” Test – If you wouldn’t take them out for a meal in real life, why would you pay for them at your once in a lifetime wedding?
• Blame the Venue – “Our Michigan wedding venue has a 150-person max, ( or our package has a max of 100) so we have to keep the list tight.” (You can even blame Celestial Farms—we don’t mind at all!)
• Announce It Early – Make it clear early on that you’re having a small, intimate wedding so people don’t expect an invitation.
Your Wedding, Your Rules
At the end of the day, your wedding experience should be magical, not stressful. The people sitting in the audience at your wedding ceremony should be the ones who truly love and support you—not just names on a list to avoid drama (because there's plenty of other dramas to be had).
So, when searching for your favorite wedding venues in Michigan and wedding chapels near me, remember this motto we have at Celestial Farms: Wedding planning is about creating the best day of your life with the people who matter most. And if someone isn’t meeting the requirements-they don’t need an invite. Happy planning, and at Celestial Farms although we do give our couple's advice like this we ALWAYS do it respectfully and tactfully. And we fully support their approach to these issues!
Celestial Farms Wedding Venue in Clio, Michigan is a locally owned and operated business, rooted in love and united in legacy. We sincerely hope to encourage couples to learn more about the value and importance of choosing a locally owned business when it’s time to book your wedding venue & vendors. With locally owned venues you will often see a higher level of hospitality, better communication and a greater desire to truly ensure your wedding exceeds expectations. We are thrilled to support wedding venue owners from around the country with a weekly shout out in our blog. You can find locally owned wedding venues featured on this wedding venue map.
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