Hi girls,
So my wedding is in Spetember and I sent out Save the Dates two weeks ago (I know that's a bit late, but we just got engaged 6 weeks ago). I live in and am from MA, but went to college in AL and have many friends that now live all over the country. I sent three couples the STD because I have remained close to them since college and all three of these couples have come to Boston to visit me since then. However, through our many modes of technology (FB, text, email, etc), word has spread that I'm getting married to most of my large group of friends from 'Bama.
This week, I have received not one, not two, but FOUR calls/messages from friends of mine who I have lost touch with since college (I left the South in 2007) fishing around for invites. We occasionally talk online, but this is pretty rare. I haven't seen these people in years and although they were very close to me then, they are not now. One flat out asked where her STD was because, "we're invited, right?" and another blew me away by saying that she knows we have fallen out of touch, but since we were so close during such an important time in our lives, she would come from anywhere in the world to be part of my special day. She went on to tell me of this "fantasy" (her words, not mine) she had about my wedding being a reunion for our group of friends and that things would be just like old times again!
HELP! WHAT DO I SAY TO THESE PEOPLE?! My fear isn't adding 4 or 5 more people to the guest list...we could swing that. I guess I'm just taken back by them contacting me asking if they are invited. I would NEVER do this, and would naturally assume that if I haven't talked to someone in years and didn't get a STD, then I'm not invited. Oh well.
I also am moving a month before my wedding, will be working full time in the fall as a teacher (we can't even take our honeymoon until next summer because the school won't let me take more than one day off), and are having a DIY wedding in my parent's backyard. All that being said, I would love to have them there, but can not be their tour guides the week of the wedding.
How do I tell these people that if they really want to come that badly (and they must, seeing as what they did this week), that they must arrange their own flights, rental cars, place to stay, and can't expect me to take off work and show them the city the week of my wedding? Is there any way for me to say this politely?
Thanks in advance!