Would it be considered rude to...?

You DON'T indicate that a guest is not allowed.

What you DO is address invitations only to those people invited by name.

So...if you are inviting:

Cathy from work and her boyfriend: Cathy Watson and Todd Malcolm

Cathy and a guest: Cathy Watson and guest

Just Cathy, no boyfriend: Cathy Watson

If you really want to hit the nail on the head, add on the RSVP how many seats will be reserved...1, 2, etc;

Just one rule: You must always invite both halves of a married/engaged couple. The lines are blurry on couples dating or living together long-term.

Okay, if you know for sure that your coworkers are married, you should invite their husbands.

Or better yet, trim down the guest list to only those you are THE CLOSEST with. For example, my guest list would include my parents, grandparents, a few select aunts and uncles, some cousins, and my best friend M. It would be the same on the groom's side. It may sound brutal to cut people from your wedding guest list but that's one of the only sure-fire ways to really cut down the budget.

And hun, it doesn't matter that the ceremony and reception are in the same place. It's considered very rude to invite people to one and not the other. I actually asked that question a while back. Here's the link.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ar7BZ...

There is nothing wrong with not allowing single people to bring a random date, but it is rude to not invite long term partners, and extremely rude not to invite spouses. It's just like any other social event: if a person has a partner, you invite the couple. (EDIT: p.s. Even though they know other people there, they are still stuck without their partners, while their partners are stuck home).

I suggest not inviting any co-workers. If you've never met their partners it means you never meet them socially, so they're not "friends" in that sense. There's nothing wrong with not inviting work people, you just say, "sorry, it's a small family + close friends wedding only". When I got married I'd been at the same workplace for 4 years, but still only invited one co worker.

Do an A list and a B list of invites.

You're A list is the people who you HAVE to invite- eg, family and long term family friends. Set their RSVP date a good long time before the wedding. A certain percentage usually does not come.

Your B list is people you would like to invite but due to budget constraints you aren't too keen on them bringing a guest. You send out the invites to these people AFTER those of the A list have RSVP'd. Coworkers usually go on the B list. The exception being anyone who was instrumental in bringing the two of you together.

Amanda,

I can understand your budget dilemma, but Courtney is right.

You cannot separate a husband and wife simply because you have never met the co-worker's spouse. Ditto if the co-worker is engaged. It makes no difference if the guest would know someone else or not know someone else. As far as proper etiquette for inviting guests to a wedding, you must invite BOTH the man/woman or if this person is engaged, you need to invite their fiance also.

If these co-workers simply have boyfriends (as opposed to fiances), then you do not need to add the "and guest" to their invite if that would help you out at all. They may question it, so be prepared to explain that you need to cut the list down if they do happen to ask, though.

Proper etiquette is to invite married couples, engaged couples, or couples living together as a unit = 2 people. To invite a co-worker without their spouse would be rude.

But at the same time, single guests do not have to be invited with a "& guest" invite, it is not rude to invite them solo.

It is all in the way you address your invitations. On the outer envelope where you address your guest, you would write Mr. James Clark. Then, when James sends his RSVP back, he should have written that 1 will attend. If he assumes a guest is invited, he may write, 2 will attend. In which case you will have to call him and let him know space is limited to those on the guest list and you would invite guests if you had the space. This way you have no explaining to do about money and what not and you do not make him feel like an idiot.

For those who you extend the guest to invite a guest, then the invitation would be addressed as such: Mr. James Clark and Guest.

I have been invited as a guest of a guest at a wedding and it was kind of weird to be there because I did not know the bride and felt that I, as a stranger did not belong there.

Personally, I think married, engaged, and long term partners are a unit, and I would always invite both. Singles however, don't need to bring a guest unless you want them to.

If I couldn't afford to host all my coworkers and their spouses, I wouldnt invite any of them at all. They are just coworkers and one day you won't work there or see them again. Unless of course they are actually your friend outside work, in which case you would want them to bring their spouse.

But everywhere is different. If you think they wouldn't mind and is totally normal in your workplace, go for it.

If the person is married, I think it is a little rude to invite them without a guest. If they are just dating, then I don''t think he guest need to be invited. In order to keep your numbers down, especially with the people from work, ask yourself "if I didn't work with them, would we still be friends". Chances are the answer would be no. If the answer is no, then you don't need to invite them either. The same goes for friends. Ask, will I still be "friends" with them, after I am married.

If they are married, engaged, live with their partner or have been with their partner for an extended period of time (about a year or more) you MUST invite their partner as they are considered a social unit. To not invite them would be extremely rude.

Personally I would not attend a wedding if my partner was not invited. We live together and have been together for multiple years now. I would take it as an insult.