One thing many soon-to-be-wed couples are constantly questioning revolves around whether or not to allow plus ones and what to do if you do not give someone a plus one yet they write one in on their RSVP.
Providing your guests with a plus one should mainly be dependent on the budget and venue capacity. If it is not in the budget or if there is not enough room in the venue to have plus ones then do not feel obligated to have them unless the guest is married, engaged or living together with their partner. If you do have it in the budget and the venue is large enough to allow plus ones, it is a nice gesture to do so especially for members of the wedding party, those who may not be comfortable coming alone due to not knowing many of the other guests and those in serious relationships. Of course, with a limited budget and space that can only allow a few plus ones, ensure the wedding party and those that are married, engaged or living together receive plus ones before anyone else.
If you are only able to provide a limited number of plus ones, make sure that your invitations indicate how many spots you have reserved for each guest as in the picture below. This way there should be limited confusion as to how many seats were reserved for each guest.
When you are addressing the invitations be sure to write down the plus one’s name if you are including one for someone that is married, engaged, living with their partner or in a serious relationship. “And guest” is perfectly acceptable for those that you are including plus ones for either because they are in the wedding party or they are a guest who does not know many, if any, of the other guests that will be in attendance. This is one, a courtesy and two, in case anything does happen in the relationship it acts as a security so the plus one should not be transferred without your approval.
Frequently, once invitations are sent out and you have taken all precautions that you can when it comes to plus ones, you may find yourself in a situation where someone who has not been given a plus one RSVPs for two or more people. In this highly likely scenario the best thing to do is personally reach out to the person and let them know that due to budget/venue constraints you were not able to give them a plus one. Be apologetic but also let them know that you would still love to have them join in during the celebration of your day.
For more tips and wedding fun, make sure to check back every Wednesday at www.bctent.com/blog. Subscribe on the right to have our blog articles come straight to your inbox!
Got a suggestion for our next #WeddingWednesday blog? Share it with us in the comments below or at marketing@bctent.com and maybe we will write about it!