Should I invite all of my relatives to my wedding to make them happy while excluding the people I really want there due to a tight budget?

If you are the ones paying for your wedding, then it should be up to you on who you want there. I had the same problem with my last wedding, and what I did was cut out some other extras like table favors and the more extravagant cake, and was able to invite a few more people. Family is with you forever, but yet you hope to only get married once so this is a once in a lifetime deal.

Invite the closest of your family and the closest of your friends and try to make do with what money you have left for your dress, cake and reception. :-).

I don't think you should exclude people you really want to attend. If deciding not to invite someone in favor of someone else casts a dark shadow over your wedding, it's definitely not worth doing. Even if some family members don't receive invitations, it sounds like this is the way for you to have a happier wedding.

I'm surprised that your mother feels she can suggest guests when you are the ones paying for them. This almost goes without saying, but would there be any way to lower the cost per place? This would be a solution with a fair bit of upside, but I'm assuming that you've considered that already.

Whatever you decide, make sure you're happy about it. It's unfortunate that weddings come with so much stress, but you can make up for the stress by making sure it's a truly great day.

What is more important to you. Making your family happy or having those closest to you there to celebrate your special day? This is supposed to be the happiest day of your life, and if you aren't surrounded by people whom you care about and that support and care about you, then it won't be the happiest day.

Explain to your family that the budget is tight, but there are specific people that you want there. If they can't understand that, then too bad. They really will get over it, or they can pitch in and pay for their own plate....

This is a tough question. My heart says it is "Your Wedding" and you should be able to invite your closest friends and family, spend as little money as you need to and enjoy your day. I personally did the same.

Luckily we do not have a large family, but we spent very little money and still had a beautiful Wedding, and the best part is because there was not alot of money spent, I was not stressed for things to be perfect. I enjoyed my day and was "In the Moment" completely. On the other hand family is funny, and I just hope not inviting them does not cause problems for you in the long run.

If need be, invite them all, but have a more simple Wedding. Rent a hall, have friends or family help make it beautiful, and have it catered by a local restaurant, perhaps Mostaccioli. Good luck!

I agree with the above statement. Do you want to make everyone else BUT you and your partner happy on YOUR wedding day? Or do you want to make YOU and your partner happy on YOUR wedding day.

If you pay, then the decision is yours. You do have to include some very close relatives and core family because you will interact with them the most, but distant uncle you've never heard of or a grouchy aunt who gives nothing but trouble might not be necessary. But if it's possible to tweak the budget so you can squeeze in more people (lowering the cost for your dress or cake, choose slightly cheaper menu, send out virtual invitation instead of physical cards, ask your friends to help out instead of hiring a wedding organizer) then maybe you can get your relatives and your closest friends so you don;t have to choose.

A wedding is one day. Your relationships with your family members extend until one you of dies. Just keep that in mind.It's admirable that you're paying for it without your parents help, and that does mean that you get to set the budget and guest list.

However, were it me, I would consider scaling the wedding back. If one plate costs $30, consider paying $15, and inviting more people. Weddings today are insane sometimes.

I assure you can have fun with homemade food (sounds like mom is volunteering to do some cooking! ), less liquor, and a big backyard. You don't need the magazine wedding.

If you've already scrimped as much as you can, try explaining to your mom why your guest list looks the way it looks, and why the budget looks the way it looks. Then consider inviting your IMMEDIATE family only, your friends, and telling everyone else "it's a small wedding." Your family then needs to shut up about how many friends were there, and let you keep on telling everyone it was too small to invite anyone but your parents, siblings, and the friends standing with you.

What you can't do is invite some extended family and not others (which you seem to be sure of already). Two of my cousins got married with only their parents and close friends there.It wasn't a huge deal, but they did throw a family party later. Maybe at the least, celebrate with your extended family at a family barbeque.

Yes, it is YOUR wedding and you should not be pressured to add folks to the guest list that you are not comfortable with (either socially or financially). How about this suggestions: Give your folks the list of the 70 people you intend to invite. Explain to your folks that the decision is entirely financial and that adding each new couple will cost, say, $30.

Therefore, if they want to suggest another 6 couples, they need to cough up $180.

Have the wedding reception someplace cheaper so that you can invite everyone. All you really need is the foyer of the church, some punch and a cake. Have an informal party the next day at your parents' house for all the family, so they can watch you open your presents before you leave on your honeymoon and they all fly home.

Or, ask your mom if she can chip in for the more expensive reception that you have planned, so that there will be enough to feed all the relatives.

It's your day do what you want but remember you always have to live with your decisions of excluding family members. But if your thinking of not inviting them your obviously not that close to begin with.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.