WEDDING BLOG

Never Feel Guilty About Your Wedding Guest List

April 13, 2017 | riley

Image by Sophia Veres. See more of this real wedding here. Read on about your wedding guest list

Your wedding day should be 100% about you–and we’re not just saying that. We truly believe it. However, we know the challenges you may be up against when planning a day that doesn’t cater to other people’s opinions. One aspect of your planning that can be especially uncomfortable to maneuver is your wedding guest list.

Whether you’re inviting two to 200 of your closest friends, there are bound to be hurt feelings over who makes the cut and who doesn’t. Despite the unfortunate sad/frustrated feelings you may encounter if you’re confronted by someone who didn’t make your official headcount, we’re here to let you in on a little secret–you never have to feel guilty about your guest list.

Why You Don’t Need To Feel Guilty About Your Wedding Guest List

Image by Stephanie Nachtrab. See more of this real wedding here

Your Venue Accommodations

So you’ve found the perfect venue, only to find out that it only accommodates 100 people. Without even sitting down to start a list of friends and family to invite, you now have a set number you need to work within. This can feel like both a blessing and a curse.

You may have to make cuts to your list that you’d rather not, but you also have a built-in excuse should anyone question why they didn’t receive an invite. You simply can’t put more people in the venue than it allows. If someone gives you a hard time about this, you can tell them that it’s technically out of your hands.

Image by Heather K Purdy. See more of this elopement here

Your Wedding Budget

Your wedding budget is one of the most obvious reasons why you shouldn’t feel guilty about your guest list. It’s also one of the most reasonable. No one expects you to have a disposable income when it comes to planning your wedding, and it’s generally understood that throwing a wedding is quite an expensive ordeal.

From the meal they are served to the chair they sit in, each guest–logistically–comes with a price tag. There are people in your life for whom you are happy to pay that price. For others, you may not be so willing. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Image by Paola Lattarini. See more of this elopement here

Your Wedding Day Timeline

When you’re building your wedding guest list, we recommend taking a moment to envision yourself celebrating your day with each and every guest as you add them to your spreadsheet. However, if you have a larger wedding, your wedding day timeline may not give you the time to say hello to all your guests–much less spend more than a few moments with them. So although it may be surprising, choosing your wedding size and your wedding day timeline go hand in hand.

If sharing moments with every one of your guests is a priority for you, you may want to keep your list smaller. If you’re happy to have more people present who will participate in your day, possibly without one-on-one time together, then you have the ability to increase your headcount. It’s all about fulfilling your expectations, not theirs.

Image by Rowanberry Lavender. See more of this real wedding here

Your Vision of Your Day

Speaking of your expectations, the bottom line is that your guest list is all about your vision of your day. How big or small your wedding is and who’s there should always be up to you. Whether your future mother-in-law has her own list of people she wants to invite or you promised your college friends that they would be invited years ago, at the end of the day, this is about you. It’s about who you will look out to see in the audience when you’re speaking your vows, who you’ll hug and dance with at your reception, who you’ll look back and see photos of when flipping through the album of your day. Every aspect of your wedding should be about your vision, not someone else’s.

To make putting together your wedding guest list a piece of cake, we’ve put together a free wedding guest list spreadsheet with everything you need to keep track of along the way.

Image by Brittany Loeffelholz. See more of this real wedding here

Bohemian Wedding at Big Bend National Park

April 13, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Before Karla and Nick were even engaged, they went on a road trip to Big Bend National Park and immediately knew they would want to get married there one day. The couple wanted their desert wedding to be as low-key and close to their own bohemian style as possible, so they invited their very closest family and friends to join them on a casual hike to their gorgeous ceremony spot in the park. From the bride’s cold shoulder Free People gown to her DIY desert bouquet, we can’t get enough of Karla’s country boho look! The brilliant Sam Hugh Photography captured every majestic moment of this couple’s day, including spectacular post-ceremony portraits over a canyon.

The Couple:

Karla and Nick

The Wedding:

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Being able to share such a beautiful place that held such importance to us with those closest to us was most important to us while planning.

The wedding vibe was chosen based on the location Big Bend National Park; the desert, Mexico, Texas, bohemian, and country. The bride made the boutonnières, corsages, and her bouquet from artificial flowers. Artificial flowers were used so as not to alter the ecosystem of the park. The bride also created the table setting and cake topper from items she’d found or made.

For favors, the guests received screen printed handkerchiefs done by the bride’s close friend.

The first look was definitely the most memorable part of the day. With all the planning and stress of getting ready rounding everyone up to get to the specific location in the park, when we finally saw each other for the first time we were immediately calm and ready. All the nerves faded away and anything and everything that we forgot or misplaced didn’t matter because the only thing that mattered was that we were there for each other.

The bride’s wedding day fashion and beauty was comfortable boho with a free people dress, free people boots and hiking boots; her hair and make up were minimalist and natural; and her accessories consisted of a thrifted belt and vintage silver jewelery.

The groom wore a vintage western jacket, shrink to fit wranglers, and redwing boots. The rest of the wedding party wore desert casual clothing with comfortable shoes for hiking to the spot.

Our photographer, Sam Hugh, was amazing. It was incredible to have a photographer who loved the venue/park as much as we did and who was game for anything.

We both absolutely love Texas. We went on a weekend trip to Big Bend National Park for the first time and happened upon our wedding spot at sunset. We weren’t engaged yet. But it was undeniable. We both shared different faiths and we agreed this could be a magical place where neither of us would have to compromise.

Our advice: Get married in a national park if you can. They are breathtakingly beautiful, inexpensive, and you’ll be able to revisit your venue whenever.

We actually didn’t have any music at our wedding. We wanted the calm, quiet sights and sounds of the park to be our music.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Sam Hugh Photography
Venue – Big Bend National Park
Catering & Accommodations – Big Bend Lodge
Cake – Capital City Bakery
Officiant – Kasey Weikel
Wedding Dress – Free People
Groom’s Apparel – Wrangler, Red Wing Shoes

Congratulations to Karla and Nick, and a special thanks to Junebug member Sam Hugh Photography for sharing their Big Bend wedding with us. Love this couple’s low-key desert wedding? Then you’ve got to see this intimate desert wedding in Arizona that’s full of thoughtful details and love!

5 Rustic Wedding Color Palette Ideas

April 12, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

photo by Finch Photography

If there’s one wedding style that has stood the test of time, it’s the rustic wedding. Typically held outdoors near a barn or on farm or ranch, rustic weddings combine the natural with the romantic. An organic setting filled with so much love deserves a color palette that enhances the existing beauty. If you’re planning a rustic wedding of your own and haven’t decided what hues to use to decorate your day, get inspired by these five rustic wedding color palettes.