Ruthless

It's all over the internet and through the magazines - cut your wedding budget by cutting your guest list. Some places say it nicer than others, but I think Martha Stewart's people said it the most cut throat way:
Be Ruthless with the Headcount

Or check out this thread at Wedding Bee.

I'm not as militant as some fellow bloggers out there who march against the Wedding Industrial Complex (WIC), but something about this rubs me the wrong way. The wedding industry sets these standards of beauty and indulgence to the point where the average bride must RUTHLESSLY cut her guest list to maintain the American Dream Wedding.

Yes, limiting the guest list is usually a necessary evil due to space and budget constraints. However, for our wedding, we decided that our priority would be to include as many of our friends and family as possible. Children were not invited, but not because we wanted to save a buck - because we wanted our guests to have the freedom to enjoy themselves during our wedding festivities. We invited our co-workers and have them in our wedding party - these people spend the most time with us and know us the best! We had to cut back on other budget items to accommodate the cost incurred by more guests. The little luxuries I'm told I "need" at our price point have been thrown out the window.

At the end of the day, I hope that the industry doesn't force you to be ruthless. Rather, I hope that your vision and budget allow for the dearest to your heart to join you in a momentous occasion!

How have you balanced the budget and your guest list? Did your venue dictate the number of guests, or did you find a venue based on your guest count?