Who to Invite (and How to Keep the Peace) at Your Wedding Ceremony
- jnrushton1
- 12 hours ago
- 3 min read
Planning your wedding guest list can feel like a puzzle — balancing family expectations, friendships, budgets, and personal boundaries. Your ceremony should reflect you, not a list of obligations or drama. At The Venue at Valley View Farm, we’ve seen couples create memorable, joy-filled ceremonies, and we know how important it is to set the right tone from the start.
Here’s our guide to choosing who to invite, avoiding conflict on your big day, and ensuring your ceremony rules are respected with the help of your wedding planner and venue team.
Step 1: Be Intentional About Your Guest List
Before you even start adding names, decide what kind of experience you want your ceremony to have.
Do you want something intimate and peaceful? Keep it to immediate family and your closest friends.
Planning a larger celebration? Include extended family and guests who truly support your relationship and bring positivity to your day.
A good rule of thumb: If someone’s presence might cause stress, awkwardness, or distraction during your ceremony, it’s okay not to invite them. You are not obligated to include anyone who doesn’t support your happiness or boundaries.
Step 2: Avoid Conflict Before It Starts
Every couple has that one tricky guest — the outspoken aunt, the feuding cousins, or the friend who thinks the day revolves around them. To keep your ceremony peaceful:
Communicate early. If certain behaviors or topics are off-limits, mention them gently in advance or through your wedding website.
Assign seating carefully. Your planner or coordinator can help create a seating chart that minimizes potential tension.
Use clear signage or programs. “Unplugged ceremony” or “No cell phones during vows” signs help set expectations before the ceremony begins.
Step 3: Let Your Wedding Planner and Venue Help Enforce the Rules
You shouldn’t have to spend your wedding day policing behavior — that’s where your planner and venue team come in.
At The Venue at Valley View Farm, we work closely with couples and their coordinators to ensure that your wishes are carried out smoothly and respectfully. Whether it’s handling guest seating, keeping ceremony areas quiet, or helping with late arrivals, our staff is there to support your vision.
Your wedding planner or day-of coordinator can act as your voice, kindly enforcing boundaries so you can stay relaxed and fully present. This might include:
Asking guests to put away phones or cameras during the ceremony
Managing latecomers so they don’t interrupt
Ensuring reserved seating for family or VIP guests
Handling any minor issues discreetly so you never even know they happened
Step 4: How to Communicate Your Ceremony Rules
It’s completely normal (and smart) to set rules for your ceremony — and most guests appreciate knowing what to expect. You can share your preferences in a kind, confident way:
In your invitations or website:
“We kindly ask that guests refrain from using phones or cameras during our ceremony so everyone can be fully present.”
Through your coordinator or officiant:
“The couple requests that guests hold applause until after the ceremony and keep voices low during the vows.”
With signage:
Beautifully designed signs can communicate rules with warmth and personality — for example:
“Welcome to our unplugged ceremony. Please silence and put away your phones until after ‘I do.’”
Step 5: Focus on What Matters Most
Your wedding ceremony is a sacred, emotional, once-in-a-lifetime moment. Surround yourself with people who make you feel supported and joyful. Set boundaries, communicate them clearly, and let your venue and planner help handle the rest.
At The Venue at Valley View Farm, we believe your day should be filled with love — not stress. Whether your guest list includes 20 people or 150, our team and trusted local coordinators ensure your ceremony runs smoothly, so all you have to do is say “I do.”
Ready to start planning your ceremony?
Schedule a tour or contact our event team at thevenueatvvf@gmail.com or visit
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