Invitations and head count?

$15 a plate? Good lord, we paid more than that, when I chipped-in for a bridal shower.

Good for you.

If you don't talk to them on a monthly basis at the very least then they shouldn't come.

Goodness. You have 21 MONTHS. That's like 645 days.

Write a guest list- contact a caterer, ask them when their numbers are due. Schedule rsvp date before the caterer needs your numbers. Send invites 6-8 weeks before the wedding. Meaning you have about 19 months to figure out your guest list. In the mean time update guest list over the next year and a half.....

I did a cut off on my side of second cousins. We sent out invitations 7/6 weeks before, RSVPs due 3 weeks before, and our hall requested our numbers at 2 weeks before. Talk to your hall/ caterer, that will help you make a time line

Commenting to say I was here before this turns into another 300plus comment shit show...

Damnit Lillybean you beat me to it! OP I'm sure you have gotten great advice that you will not listen to

Don't cut out the kids, gotta make sure that free bounce house gets used!

But seriously, OP...there will always be someone upset that they didn't get invited. There's really no use in trying to invite ERRRRYBODY. You'll just end up spending money you wish you had saved.

OMG, I didn't realize this was the same poster as Ms. June Wedding Outdoors with Citronella Candles and DEFINITELY no Costco, not now, not never.

Seriously, though, your catering contract will say when final counts are due. If they try to make you submit them any further than 2 weeks out, push back on that. And you don't have to invite everyone you know.

Talk to your venue, they will give you all of their requirements.

Your caterer will tell you when they need a final count by, but that's a ways away for you.

So now you're trying to work on your guest list, but I thought you had everything figured out except for the dress and cake?

I thought I was an over planner. I have been engaged for almost two years. I started planning 6 months after getting engaged. I made pinterest boards, made lists of vendors I liked, compared and shopped around for stuff. I'm now about 9 months away from my wedding and I just looked at invites for the first time. My guest list has changed since I first started planning as well. relationships change over the course of two years. You really don't need to worry about such small details now. Shop around and get an idea If you want, but I wouldn't waste time making up your mind about invites or anything like that. Your ideas will change with time (mine sure did), and many other things can change. I thought I would get invites from somewhere, then things changed and I ended up choosing somewhere else. I changed my wedding color, second guessed my dress and venue because I rushed in to buying/booking them. You're going to drive your family crazy if you're obsessing over planning this early. Its great to get some ideas, but maybe slow your roll a little. A lot can change in that amount of time.

Since budget is a concern, you should really focus on cutting the guest list waaay down. That's the most effective way to save money. I would cut the kids, its the easiest way, and then you don't have to do the bounce house which really doesn't belong at a wedding, even if its free. It has saved us literally thousands to not have kids at our wedding. hopefully you can see the picture, but if not, just search "guest list" on pinterest and it will help you decide who to invite

ETA: you totally cant see the picture haha just search it!

They can't do adults only, she has already secured her bouncy house.

I must be the only person without this problem. Now I'm starting to think I'm a raging friendless B who drinks wine with her cat every night, because I do.

My guest list was easy to cut.