Wedding Wednesday: "and guest"

We were chatting with a dear friend's mother this weekend, who is now single and she brought up a very interesting point that we pondered until we could write today's post.  To invite guests with "a guest" or not?  She certainly understands the most common rules of invitation inviting, if you have a long-term significant other, they are invited, if you don't, rarely an "and guest" is offered.  But she did say just once, it would be nice to be given the option.  So brides and party-planners alike,  we thought we would bring this to your attention and share some thoughts and best practices! 

There are many many MANY suggestions out there as how to best handle your guest list and addressing your invitation envelopes (be careful who you listen to).  We believe that as long as courtesy is strongly considered in the decision that you make, you can't go wrong. 

Here are our recommendations:

Anyone who is in a committed relationship for more than 1-year should be invited by name:  Miss Jane Smith and Mr. John Doe on one invitation. 

If a guest is not in a relationship it is ok to invite them singly - Miss Jane Smith.  However, be sure to think through your guests carefully.  If most of your single guests are part of a larger group and will know a lot of people at your wedding, this is perfectly acceptable, however, if you find that there are invitees who may not know as many people or especially older guests, it would be quite courteous to give them the option to bring a guest.  Always, remember, as the host of your grand affair, your guests comfort level is a responsibility of yours.  If the "and guest" invite is open-ended, it should be addressed:  Miss Jane Smith and Guest

Anyone under 21 years old, does not need to be invited with a guest and in fact can be included in their parent's invitation.  For example:  The John Doe Family or Mr. and Mrs. John Doe, Sally, Susie and Tom

Follow this simple mantra:  when in doubt, consider your guest.  Will they be more comfortable being offered the option to bring a guest or will they be just fine on their own?  If you are unsure, give them the option.  Very few people actually want to bring a date to a wedding, but the option is always nice to have. 

Thank you for bringing this to our attention!  You know who you are and we love you!  xoxo