Things have changed a lot since your parents got hitched! Check out the new and improved ways modern couples are creating unique, thoroughly personal events.
By: Kristen Finello
Rule #2 Make the day about the people who matter to you.
The old way: Not recognizing many of the faces at your fête.
The new way: Tailoring your guest list to reflect the true VIPs in your life, whether that's 20 people or 200.
Photo Credit: Inspire Photography
Gone are the days of feeling obligated to invite everyone you — and your parents — know. "Couples want to celebrate with the people they really care about, those who will still be in their lives 15 years from now," says Jeanette Stancato, a wedding planner with Marriott Hotels. In decades past, when the bride's mother and father were picking up the tab, it was their prerogative to include more of their friends, relatives and business associates. "But when the couple is paying, they aren't obligated to invite Dad's partner's brother or Mom's cousins whom they haven't seen since their First Communion," says Stancato. If you just can't say "no" to Mom and Dad's desire for a big do, consider having an intimate wedding with your family and closest friends, followed by a big reception that'll please the folks when you return from your honeymoon.
