63104mom

building the guest list

We are getting ready to send out invitations for our annual (although we took a break in 2011) Mardi Gras party.  I am at about 200 invites.  Yep.  That many.  Needn’t fear- only about 125 show up, and they’re staggered out through the night.  It’s more like an open house.  

How do I pick who to invite?  It seems like I keep adding people to the list. Here’s my criteria.

• People that help me out, like driving my kids places, hosting playdates or coaching their teams. 
• People that fit two categories— e.g. people who I work with and live in the neighborhood
• Interesting people
• New to the area people.  We in St. Louis can be such a clique.  It’s always right to invite new friends to parties.  
• People who may hit it off with long-time guests. “Oh meet so-and-so.   You both like to run marathons.”  
• and obviously, good friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc.  

What-if’s:

• A no-show, no-call, no-rsvp for 3 years in a row.  I think they’re trying to send me a message that they don’t want to come.  They’re off the list.
• Divorced couples both get invites.  I’m not taking sides.  You people work it out.
• Party-disaster people.  Pukers, people who show up at 1 am, arguers.  So far no one has ever done anything offensive enough to get removed from “the list.”  That may change but not yet.  The most irritating thing so far has been a guy who hounded me for a spoon a couple of years ago, as in followed me around the house until i got him a spoon.  He’s on the bubble.