US Guest List Decisions...

I had the ring, we had the venue and the parents had granted us a very generous budget. Now we needed to decide how to spend the largest amount of money either of us had ever had.

Mr. FMB and I sat down to write up the "dream list". This list ended up putting us at about 180 guests. Dad FMB said 125 guests was more than enough (80+ which would be family and close family friends that could not be compromised). Our venue had a minimum of 150- perfect!

After a few revisions and the realization by many of the UK guests that the cost of a flight was $1000+, we have a low number of 154 and a high number of 171. Why such the discrepancy? The ever debated, ever evil "plus one"......

I am three years older than Mr. FMB and after graduating college five years ago many of my friends have settled down and been in long term relationships, some even buying houses with their significant other. However, few so far have tied the knot. When forming the guest list I immediately counted inviting these significant others. I also however have many single friends and adult cousins that I was more skeptical about giving them carte blanche on a guest.

Mr. FMB and I talked and debated and came up with rules for plus ones:
-If you live together or we know both of you well then you are in
-If you have been together for more than a year but we have not had a chance to meet the person then you are still in
-If you are just dating around then come single because there will be plenty of good ones there too

I and Mr. FMB are completely comfortable with our slightly mean policy because we are only inviting family and close friends. We feel that the friends are close enough that if there was someone they wanted to bring then we would know about it or they would feel comfortable telling us. And there is a basis to our mean policy. At our estimated price per head inviting everyone a plus one would cost nearly $2000 additional!

How did you decide on your plus ones? Were you all inclusive or exclusive?