Inviting work colleagues to your wedding

Read on for a complete guide to determining whether or not to invite work colleagues to your wedding so you can make judgements based on your preferences, budget and office etiquette.

Which colleagues to invite to your wedding

Invite colleagues if they are friends you see out of work or if you class them as important friends within the workplace. If you have doubts about inviting a particular colleague it is wise to go with your instinct. As the cost per head is high and you will want to completely relax, it is wise to only invite those who will make your day and cast no judgement.

When you may 'have' to invite colleagues to your wedding

In larger corporate, formal offices, it is worth checking the etiquette with someone who has recently married: There may be unwritten rules that are worth checking before freely making your decision based on the friendship factor only. Also, If you work in a small office and are friends with all, it is polite to invite everyone, so no one feels excluded

Inviting colleagues to your wedding without exhausting guest numbers

For those who have a lot of friends in the office, it can be hard to draw a line on numbers without exhausting your budget and total wedding guest number. In this type of scenario, there are a few of options:

• Invite colleagues as evening guests only.
• Do not invite any colleagues and have a separate drinks reception before the wedding
• Only invite those who cross over to the friendship category.

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When not to invite colleagues to your wedding

It is recommended to keep a firm boundary if you view your colleagues only as acquaintances. Inviting those who you are not entirely comfortable with to meet your friends and family can be a recipe for disaster.

It is also wise not invite colleagues if you work in a particular position of trust or where relaxing and getting a little loose with conversation could lead to any issues with your employment. Your wedding day should be a day to feel 100% relaxed. If you decide to keep a firm boundary between work and your wedding keep wedding chat to a minimum to avoid any awkwardness.

To reduce awkwardness drop the below key phrases into conversation:

• You are having a smaller intimate day and struggling with including all of your family
• Your partner is not allowing work colleagues, so you want to respect his/her wishes

How to only invite select colleagues

If you decide only to invite a select few from the office, it is recommended to keep the invitation and wedding chat away from the workplace. Post the invite to them and on a lunch-break mention that you would appreciate their discretion as you can only invite those you are close to: This will enable you to solidify your friendship with them and ensure that there is no office chat, which could lead to people feeling left out.

When should you invite your manager to your wedding

The below factors should determine the decision; whether to invite your manager to your wedding:

• Length of relationship
• Level of mutual openness and trust
• There is a firm friendship which is external to the workplace

In formal firms and corporations, it is also worth checking if there is any social etiquette on inviting your manager to your wedding from others who have recently got married.

When not to invite your manager to your wedding

Do not invite your manager if you feel pressure to do so, but this decision makes you feel uneasy: This is your day and part of your personal life. If you are concerned about how to mention your wedding without causing any awkwardness, drop the below phrases into conversation:

• You are planning a small intimate wedding day and having difficulty with guest numbers
• The tight restrictions on guests is causing arguments with your partner
• You would like to do something with your manager and their partner before the day to celebrate as numbers are tight.

By including these phrases early on you will negate any additional worry when it comes to wedding invitations and discussing your wedding at work.

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