The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-03-04, Page 32How to make up
your guest list
How .do you arrive at the
number of wedding guests to
be invited? First, the type of
ceremony you'll • have.
You've always.ydreamed._of_.
getting married in the little
church where you went to
Sunday school. But if :that
little church holds only 125
people and you have 230
potential. guests, you'll have
to do some` compromising.
How? Think of getting
married in your groom's
church.
Next, the reception.
Budgets plays a cruciatpart ,
in determining the numbers
here. First discuss with your
parents or whoever is paying
the bills what money you
have to work with. Then the
hard part, deciding the style
of reception. Sometimes you
feel as if you're choosing
between people and things,
but you can work it all out.
Figure what's really im-
portant to you—a seated
dinner, ' open bar and full
band for 50 or cake and
champagne for 200.
If his parents suggest you
serve something more
nourishing than cake, they
may have a point. If they
offer to share the costs of a
catered buffet, then you and
your family can accept or
politely decline; the choice is
yours.
Space is an important
consideration when deciding
on the number of guests to
invite „ to your reception.
Even when you're marrying
out-of-doors, that pretty inn
might have sweeping lawns
but limit your guests to the
number that will fit com-
fortably inside the dining
room in case of rain or bad
weather, or plan on renting a
big tent.
.You have two dozen aunts
and uncles. He has a small
family but his mother wants
to ask all those people she's
played bridge with every
Friday for 15 years...and
they're not relative low do
you keep what should be a
joyous occasion from turning
into a tug-of-war? Follow
tradition and divide .the
guest list in half. Or allocate
a third to his parents, a third
to yours and a third to you
and your groom so your own
friends can attend the
wedding too. It's the fairest
way.
Once you decide on the
number -of guests, Moe your
Mohler call or write your
groom's mother (or the
parent who raised him if
they're divorced). She might
say, "We're limited to 200
guests, so each family is
going to have the hard job of
inviting 100 people. Perhaps
. we can help each other to
think of ways to cut it down."
, If his family is from out of
town, it's likely that only a
small group of guests will be
able to make the trip. There
will probably be extra in-
vitations for your side so ask
his mother to give you a
count as soon as possible.
Then you can invite more
friends or ' ;, y without
fear of over i
• g.
Next, who gets invited?
Naturally the bridal party
and - . ruses, adult relatives,
frien r. , your clergyman and
spouse, fiances of invited
guests and if there's room,
children, business associates
and parents of the at
•
WEDDING INVITATIONS should
- be ordered three months. beforq
the wedding.
tendants.
Both families are way over
their guest limit. What to do?
Except for brothers and
sisters of the bride and
groom, you could agree mot—
to invite any children. Aunt
Sylvia and Uncle George
might welcome the chance to
socialize without having the
kids in tow anyway:
If your lists are still too
long, you might eliminate
business associates on both
sides of . the family. After all
a wedding is a social oc-
casion. And you both could
try to delete guests who live
more than two hours away,
second cousins too.
The count is finally pared
down to 200 and you've
decided to split the in-'
vitations three ways. The
next step is for your parents,
his and you and your groom
to type up your list in
alphabetical order with
guests' last names, then first
names, addresses and area
codes. Go over the three lists
to make sure there are no
duplications. If you live near
each other, chances are your
parents have friends. in
canmon.
Finally, compile all the
names into a master list.
You might investigate books
at stationery and book stores
which take the work out of
getting organized. .Look for
books with columns to note
names, addresses, when an
announcement or invitation
to ceremony, reception or
both were sent and a place to
record the 'yes' or `no'
responses.
Planning the guest list will
be the first joint venture for
you, your fiance and your
two families. It won't always
be easy. But compromise,
understanding and a good
Drip nn your senm
se of htmnr
will help. Keep thinking of
the end result, a wedding
where you'll be surrounded
by the people you love most.
Be prompt
When you receive an in-
vitation to a wedding, send
back your reply at pace.
'Don't procrastinate or stick
the reply card away in a
drawer somewhere and
forget about it completely.
If you're not sure if you
have the date of the wedding
open dr not, tack the reply
card to your social calendar
or put it where you are likely
to see it (beside the phone
perhaps?). Then as soon as
you have made your decision
and know if you.will be able
to attend or not, send dff the
card at once.
Prompt replies make the
bride's already difficult job
just that much easier.
Pictured above...pine bedroom suite, crafted by Nadeau. In-
cludes queen -size cannonball bed, dresser with hutch mirror and
cabinet, night tables, armoire chest.
Beautiful
Beginnings
Furniture that grows with you.
Young couples today want well
. designed, quality furniture they
canlivecomfo.rtably;witti now,
yet will fit well later in your
home. 0
At Ball & Mutch, we can help
you come up with a plan, adding
each piece as .budget aUo*s, yet
keeping an overall look that
works well now.
Call or visit Ball & Mutch soon
and find out yourself why more
and more people are getting to
know ust
Pictured above, Clarence Denomme of Ball &
Mutch discusses decorating plans with Colin and
Barb. This showroom- display is a sectional
Try our
BUDGET PLAN
you can arrange easy
monthly payments
PRICE
Always a very important consideration - at Ball 8 Mutch
Ltd.. we consistently offer the finest in furniture at com-
petitive prices.
2. LAY AWAYS
Ball and Mutch will hold your selection for a period of six
months with no storage charge. However, deposits and
regular monthly payments are required. With the above
stipulations, we guarantee price protection on your selec-
tion.
3. DELIVER Y
Ball and Mutch are proud of our delivery service. Our
delivery men respect and appreciate good furniture. Each
piece of furniture is first unpacked and inspected. It is
then re -boxed and carefully padded for delivery. Ball &
Mutch delivers free to any home within a fifty mile radius
of Clinton,
grouping by Citation House. All individual pieces
- you can group them to fit any area.
Take advantage of the
SALES TAX EXEMPTION
Now In effect on Home Furnishings)
Buy your furniture now—and pay no sales tax—
and we'll store It free of charge *111 you need Itl
Here are five more good reasons to shop Ball & Mutch Ltd.
a s
fM
`� NOME fUONISN,N1,S
rwOtt (Ovt'INGS
,C ARP( r'NG
4. SATISFA(:TION
If any piece of furniture delivered by Ball & Mutch is not
satisfactory, we will go to your, home to either repair or
reploce it. If any piece of furniture does not enhance your
home as you had expected. it may be returned tor a full
refund. It is our policy to leave your furniture set up com-
pletely in your home
5. WARRANTY'
At Boll & Mutch. we are very proud of every piece of fur-
niture we sell, and many times In the past we hove
looked •after problems that- have arisen for- beyond
manufacturer's warranties. We cannot, however, guaran
tee any fabric, since fabric manufacturers offer no such
warranty on their materials. Our qualified and•
knowledgeable salespeople will make your fabric selec
tion the right one for your home.
Ball & Mutch Ltd.
71 ALBERT ST., CLINTON
Home Furnishings
OPEN Six doys a week; 9 a.m. 6 p.m Friday nights 'til 9 p.m.
482-9505