TACKLING CHALLENGES WHEN PLANNING WEDDINGS - GUEST LIST

You will agree with me that there exists a problem with guest attendance at weddings. If this challenge is not properly managed, it can be catastrophic. There are situations when a couple makes provisions for 150 guests but on the event day, they get more than they bargained for.  

So many couples have taught of some interesting way to deal with this challenge but these are our advice:

1. Develop a guest list with the  recommended steps below to work with.                              Photo credit: tdwed.weebly.com
2. There is a slogan that says, ‘you don’t get married to your spouse alone but, to their entire family’. It is important for couples to carry the immediate family along when developing a guest list. Before this is done, the desired wedding theme should be communicated by the couple to the family. Note that you you might encounter some challenges that would alter your plans. In this case, we advise that you negotiate with them while maintaining your stand to ensure you work within your budget. There are some exceptions to this. Some members of the family might decide to sponsor some part or whole of the event. This must be properly managed. 
3. Access pass: while this is recommended to control access into the event venue, there must be installed mechanisims to ensure that access is given only to those with the access cards or codes. Secondly, it must be clearly defined on the cards the name and number of guests the card permits. While the event is on, there will be need to move in and out of the venue. Provisions for crowd control should be considered.

Let's build other means of control. What do you suggest?