Guest List- do we have to invite the whole family?

Leslie&Ryan

We are on a tight budget and need to keep our guest list to no more than 100. My parents family takes up a huge number, that my fiance and I are having trouble squeezing in some of our best friends.  

Since my parents are paying for most of the wedding (we are pitching in too), how or can I even ask them to limit their family guest list? 

shellydiane820

ask if it can be immediate family only.  Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. 

ChelseaBFH

First, tell your parents that you're having trouble fitting everyone you want into the guest list, and ask for their help.  They might come up with an idea you hadn't thought of, or propose limiting the family without you having to suggest it.

Then, whatever rule you make, make sure it's not personal.  For example, if you say no aunts and uncles, don't invite Aunt Mary because she's your favorite.  That way, if anyone gets offended, you can honestly tell them that you didn't invite ANY aunts or uncles.

flamingtwig72

We're in a similar situation, so we're inviting immediate family and grandparents, then having a seperate, much more casual get-together in a few weeks for everyone else in the family. They all live about 3 hours away, so I think it's more acceptable to do this than if they lived in our area. We're playing it off as "it's easier for us to come to you."

Marie_Antoinette_Cakes

What we're doing is splitting the list up. For example, for 100 guests, let your parent's have 33 guest, and let his parents have 33 guests, then use the rest for people you want to invite. That way everyone had a fair go.