Probably no other part of wedding planning is the reason for as much frustration and ill-will as the guest list. Deciding on who will be invited to this special occasion is one area that most families struggle with. Sure there are those fairy-tale weddings where money is in abundance but even those weddings have their limits.

Estimating the headcount will need to be done pretty early in the planning stage, so don't put off putting together the guest list too long. The number of guests invited to your wedding will have a significant impact on your wedding budget. It is important to keep in mind that each guest must be taken care of. Things that you need to take into consideration is the size of the both the location of the wedding ceremony and reception, the cost of wedding invitations and possible location of overnight accommodations for out of town guests. On average, budget $25 per person to cover food.

If you do not plan to elope you will want friends and relatives to share this your special day with you. Start of the guest list with those who have to be included such as you and your mate and your immediate families. Remember this is immediate family members, and not extended family members. Mothers, fathers, step-parents, brothers, sisters and grandparents are absolute musts, unless personal situations dictate otherwise. Once you put pen to paper you can get an approximate cost for food for just your immediate family which will give you a good idea as to how big your wedding can be according to your budget.

It is tradition to have wedding attendants and they should be added to the guest list next. The next group of guests to be added to the list is the wedding attendants. A maid or matron of honor and the best man are absolute minimums. After these two, the number of bridesmaids and ushers is your personal decision. It is important to remember that even thought the attendants will be paying for their attire; the number of attendants you choose will still impact your budget. Why? First, they'll be at the rehearsal dinner and they'll expect to eat for free. Second, the bride and groom traditionally give each of the attendants a gift as a way of showing their appreciation, so the more attendants, the more gifts you buy. And something that's not always considered, a large number of attendants may increase your transportation costs.

With the basics in place, it's time to add friends, co-workers, extended family members, your parents' friends and business associates, your realtor, the butcher, and on and on. Place everyone you are considering inviting on your guest list. Then, if necessary, take the red pen and start cutting until you're down to a figure that's manageable and that fits into your budget.