A man has presented his ingenious method for deciding who to invite to his upcoming wedding to social media.
According to a survey of almost 10,000 newlywed U.S. couples conducted by wedding planning website The Knot, the current average wedding size stands at around 115 guests. That might seem like a significant amount, but for many, the number of friends and extended family members that need to be kept in consideration makes it something of a juggling act.
That's certainly proven to be the case for Kate O'Neill and her fiance, Michael O'Malley from Ireland, who are hoping to tie the knot in Portugal next year.
"It's been a challenge as we don't want to let anyone we care about down," O'Neill told Newsweek. "If we could we'd have everyone, but we need to be realistic from a budget perspective. So if we have to make a decision, we want it to be as fair as possible."
O'Malley has hit upon an ingenious idea though: a spreadsheet ranking every single friend and family member, with each given a score that determines whether they make the cut.
"I thought it was crazy when he first showed me, as I'm not as pragmatic or analytical in my decision making," O'Neill said. "But once we went through it, I have to say I kind of appreciated it."
In a video shared to her TikTok, kateeoneilll, O'Malley can be seen explaining how his system works. Prospective guests first receive points based on what O'Malley defines as the "necessity of inviting."
"Because we know there are plenty of people at weddings we have to invite, whether we want to invite them or not," he says.
O'Malley and O'Neill then each provide a personal score for the would-be guest based on "how much you want them at the wedding." The three totals are then added together and each individual on the spreadsheet receives a grade based on how they scored.
If it's an A or B, they have made the cut. Cs are dependent on budget, numbers and availability. It's bad news for anyone scoring below that.
O'Neill said she initially shared the video because she thought the system was "really funny," but she has since realized there are people out there who might actually find it useful. In fact, the couple even set up an Etsy shop selling the spreadsheet template for just $10.
"We had no expectation of it going viral at all." she said. "I think it was popular because it's something that everyone planning a wedding or event has to go through, and if it makes the process easier and more enjoyable then it's the perfect formula - excuse the pun!"
But while the spreadsheet might have helped the couple "gamify" the process of deciding on who to invite, O'Neill was keen to stress the importance of listening to your heart when it comes to who you want at your wedding.
"It's your day and as much as people might have opinions on who you should invite, you have to do what you want," she said. "The spreadsheet just helps you to lay it out in a clear and visual way so you can make the best decision. Finalizing numbers is a work in progress, it doesn't happen in one day so we're trusting that all the people who are important to us will be there and that's all that matters."
English (US) ·