How to Choose Guests for your Perth Wedding

Let’s be honest, deciding who makes the guest list for your Perth wedding can feel like defusing a bomb with a blindfold on. Too many people and you blow the budget. Too few and Aunt Carol starts a family feud. So, how do you strike the perfect balance?

Here’s your no-nonsense guide to picking your wedding guests with love, logic, and just a touch of ruthless efficiency—especially if you're planning a wedding right here in beautiful Perth, Western Australia.

Celebrating Love! Jessie and Chris share their first kiss as newlyweds, surrounded by a cheering crowd of family and friends at their dream wedding. Quarry Farm is buzzing with joy and celebration! Photo; Trish Woodford Photographyhttps://www.quarryfarm.com.au/ https://www.trishwoodfordphotography.com/

1. Start With Your Dream List

Pour yourself a cuppa (or a Swan Valley shiraz), sit down with your partner, and write down everyone you’d love to have there—no limits. Friends, family, that barista in Fremantle who always remembers your order. This is your “in a perfect world” list.

Then take a deep breath. Because now the real work begins.

2. Decide on Your Numbers

Your venue, your budget, and your stress levels will all depend on the size of your guest list. If you’re going for a small and intimate wedding at one of Perth’s stunning beachside venues or hidden garden gems, that’s a clear cue to cut things down. If you’re booking a big reception space in the Perth CBD or Swan Valley, you might have more room to play.

Quick tip: the average Perth wedding has around 80-100 guests, but smaller elopements and micro weddings are super popular too—especially for couples who’d rather save their money for a Margaret River honeymoon.

3. Break It Down by Tiers

It sounds clinical, but it works. Divide your list into groups:

• Tier 1: People you can’t imagine getting married without—your parents, siblings, ride-or-die besties, and that one friend who’ll hold your dress while you pee.

• Tier 2: Close mates, extended family you actually talk to, and colleagues-turned-friends (you know, the ones you’ve had cocktails with at The Aviary).

• Tier 3: Acquaintances, your mum’s pilates buddy, and plus-ones of people you barely know.

If the list needs trimming, start at Tier 3 and work your way up.

4. The Plus-One Dilemma

This is a common guest list speed bump. The general rule? If someone is married, engaged, or in a serious relationship, invite them both. But if it’s a casual fling or a Bumble date they met last week, it’s perfectly okay to say no.

If you’re having a small Perth elopement or pop-up wedding, it’s especially okay to be firm on this.

5. Children: Yay or Nay?

Some Perth venues aren’t exactly kid-friendly, so this decision might be made for you. If you’d prefer a child-free wedding, don’t feel guilty. Just be clear in your invitations and maybe recommend a local babysitter (or send the kids off to Adventure World for the day!).

That said, if you do include kids, be prepared for one of them to shout “I’m bored!” during your vows. It’s all part of the magic.

6. Don’t Let Guilt Be Your Wedding Planner

Just because someone invited you to their wedding at Kings Park in 2017 doesn’t mean you owe them an invite to yours. Same goes for distant cousins, that old school friend from Joondalup, or the guy who once helped you move house in 2012.

It’s your Perth wedding—your people, your rules.

7. Have a B-List (But Keep It Quiet)

Once RSVPs start rolling in, you may have room to invite a few extras. That’s where the B-list comes in. Just be subtle—no one wants to feel like they were Plan B at a Matilda Bay celebration.

8. Trust Your Gut

If you’re hesitating about someone, there’s probably a reason. Will they bring drama? Will they roll their eyes during the ceremony? If you’re dreaming of a chilled-out wedding at Baldivis Farm Stay or a barefoot beach ceremony in Rockingham, the last thing you need is bad vibes.

Choose joy. Invite people who lift you up.

An enchanting outdoor wedding ceremony at The Barn mesmerizes guests as the Tina and Leona exchange vows beneath the shade of the majestic tree. https://www.thebarnhopeland.com.au/ Photo Sara Hannagan https://sarahannagan.com.au/

Final Thought

Your wedding guest list doesn’t need to tick off every expectation or extended relative. It should reflect the two of you—your story, your values, your kind of celebration. Whether you're eloping in the Perth Hills, hosting a big bash in the CBD, or saying "I do" with your toes in the sand at Secret Harbour—make it yours.

And hey, if it all feels too hard… there's always the classic Perth elopement followed by a party with whoever turns up for pizza and dancing.

Planning a Perth wedding and feeling overwhelmed with the guest list, the paperwork, or the ceremony vibes? I’m a Perth celebrant who’s here for the laughs, the love, and keeping things as stress-free as possible. Get in touch—I’d love to help.