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36 %uf098 A l a s k a B r i d e & G r o o m %uf099 2026THE GUEST LISTOur parents have come up with a list of friends to invite %u2013 how do we say no? If you and your fianc%u00e9 are paying for the wedding, a simple %u201cI%u2019m sorry, it%u2019s not in the budget%u201d should suffice. But things can get tricky if your parents are footing the bill. In that case, you%u2019ll need to talk with them about your desire for an intimate wedding and ask that they not invite people you don%u2019t know %u2013 or at the very least, limit it to one or two friends.Oh, the infamous %u2018Plus One.%u2019 Do we have to extend a plus one to guests if we don%u2019t know their partners? If the guest is married or engaged then yes, you must invite their partner whether you%u2019ve met them or not. Otherwise, no guest is entitled to bring a date. If you do choose to skip the %u201cPlus One,%u201d make it as clear as possible on the invitation by addressing it only to those guests specifically invited (this can help if you choose to have a child-free wedding as well). You could take it one step further and include with the invitation, %u201c1 seat has been reserved in your honor%u201d (again, this works to make it clear that only the adults in a household are invited to the wedding).We don%u2019t want kids at our wedding %u2013 how do we say %u2018adults only%u2019 without offending people? Many people consider weddings to be family affairs, so you%u2019ll need to be upfront about the fact that you want the little ones to stay at home. State clearly on the invitation, %u201cAdults only reception%u201d or %u201cWe love kids, but this is an adults-only affair.%u201dFAMILIES & FEUDSIt%u2019s my wedding but my mom (who%u2019s paying for most of it) is trying to control everything. How do I keep her vision from taking over mine (and keep her happy)? Communication and compromise are key to ensure you get the wedding of your dreams, and not your mom%u2019s. Most of the time, mom just wants to feel as though she%u2019s playing an important role in your big day. So if there is some aspect of the wedding that you don%u2019t have strong opinions on %u2013 the flowers, for instance %u2013 put mom in charge of it. That will give her something to focus on and allow her to participate in the planning, leaving you to focus on those details you do feel strongly about.Two of my family members HATE each other and I am worried they will have a fight at the wedding. What should I do? Assign somebody %u2013 the wedding planner, a groomsman or another trusted guest %u2013 the task of making sure the family members keep their distance and, if a fight does break out, stepping in and breaking it up.Both sets of parents were divorced and now remarried. How do you suggest we handle the father/daughter, mother/son dances? We don%u2019t want anyone to feel left out. It%u2019s really all about honoring people and the role that they%u2019ve played in your life. This could mean the bride and groom have different dances with their parent and step-parent, or sharing the dance with each parent. Or spread the honors out throughout the night %u2013 a note about all the parents in the program, having both sets of parents stand to give the Every couple wants their wedding day to go off without a hitch. But whether it%u2019s a busted budget or managing family and guest list drama, chances are you%u2019ll encounter a few bumps along the way. Here are some common sticky situations couples face when planning a wedding, and how to handle each of them with grace and tact.WEDDING PLANNING CHALLENGESAND HOW TO SOLVE THEM9