Let's Elope!

Let's Elope!
Eloping

There's always a feeling of romantic rebellion when eloping is mentioned. It can be a good way to save money, but you should keep in mind the pro's and con's of eloping.Although it might be a good idea at the time, will you regret not having a wedding in the years to come? You might want to keep in mind a few of the things below:
PROS

    It's cheap - Eloping is significantly cheaper than the traditional wedding. Would you rather spend money on the reception hall rental, or on plane tickets to the Caribbean? Of course, there is the cost of the wedding rings and the honeymoon, but these last beyond the few hours that the average wedding ceremony and wedding reception go for.

    It's simpler - You don't have to spend a year on wedding planning

    The Style - You can marry whenever and wherever you like
    It's Fast - If a fast wedding is what you are looking for, eloping might be the way to go.

CONS

    It only happens once - Your wedding day will be one you will remember for the rest of your life.
    Regret - Will you look back on it and regret not having your friends and family there with you to share this special day?
    Memories- Although eloping might be a good idea, will you miss not having the memories of a wedding day in the years to come?
    Friends and Family - There will be disappointment among family and friends when they’ve learned you eloped. Your parents will almost certainly regret never being there when you get married. If your parents’ wishes are a concern, you may want to think twice before eloping.

Wedding Guest List

Wedding Guest List
Wedding Guests

Your wedding day is a day to be shared amongst your family, friends and loved ones. As you start to write your guest list you may be tempted to invite everyone you’ve ever met in your life to attend although in most cases this is not possible.

Deciding if your wedding will be big or small and how many guests you will invite is one of the first and most important decisions that need to be made when planning a wedding. It may then dawn on you how daunting selecting a set number of guests for your wedding might be!

Some tips to help ease the stress:
Children

It is up to you and your partner to decide what type of wedding ceremony it will be and if children and babies are welcome or not. For some couples the answer is an easy ‘yes’ but for others a cloud of uncertainty forms over this topic. You should consider what style of ceremony you are having and if you are willing to put up with crying, screaming and excited children running around. After all kids will be kids and it is often hard to predict their behaviour. If you decide to have a childfree wedding it is not necessary to state this on the invitation but perhaps ask some close friends to spread the news that the wedding will be a childfree event. Some parents may assume the invitation applies to them and their children and if they reply to the wedding invitation with the names of their children on the list then give them a call and kindly tell them that it will be a kid free event.
Dummy invitations

Your parents or in-laws my request that you send out wedding invitations to distant relatives, knowing that they most likely won’t attend due to the traveling distance. However this is a dangerous idea, as relatives have been known to make the journey across the world and throw wedding plans into chaos! If your parents or in-laws think that it is rude not to send them an invitation then perhaps you can come to a compromise by sending out wedding announcements. These inform people that although it is a small ceremony and they were unable to be invited you still wish to share the news of your marriage to them.
Workmates

If you are having problems trimming your guest list it may be worthwhile looking into the idea of eliminating all work mates from their guest lists. Inviting some and not others may create work place tension so if you opt to not invite any work colleagues make it clear-cut decisions not to have any at all. Choosing not to invite co-workers can also have its advantages in creating a more personal and private wedding atmosphere.
Bridal Showers/Kitchen Teas

As a general rule of thumb anyone who is invited to the bridal shower should be invited to the wedding.
Long lost friends

If you have to spend time tracking down that friend that you went to primary school with in the autumn of 1971 to invite to your wedding… it’s probably a good sign to not invite them! Most likely there is a reason why you don’t keep in contact with them anymore as your lives have changed, but if you feel the need to let them know then a wedding announcement in a newspaper may be a good idea.
Parental Power

If your parents insist on inviting all of their friends that you don’t know then perhaps it is time to put a leash on their actions. You can do this by giving your parents a set amount of guests that they can invite and they can then make their own shortlist based on that. This has its advantages as it eases some of the pressure off you and your partner in regards to who to invite and it keeps your parents busy trying to deciding who they will invite!

Remember that at the end of the day your wedding is just that…yours. So invite people who you would love to have at your wedding ceremony and enjoy the day with the people you love the most!