Maine & NH Wedding Photographer | You Don’t Owe Anyone a Plus-One

Let’s set the scene.

Say one of your friends starts dating someone new. Cool. Love that for them.
But here’s the thing: you don’t automatically owe that person an invite to your wedding.

Yep. I said it. And no, you’re not rude, cold, or “causing drama” by saying no.

Somewhere along the line, weddings turned into this weird obligation fest where couples feel pressured to invite people they’ve never met, barely know, or wouldn’t recognize in a lineup. All because of the sacred, unquestionable rule of “everyone gets a plus-one.”

Hard pass.

Your wedding is not a networking event. It’s not a relationship status validation ceremony. And it’s definitely not a place where strangers need to be added just to keep things “fair.”

Here’s the truth:
Every extra person affects the day. The budget. The vibe. The emotional safety of the space. The way the day feels.

And if you’ve never met your friend’s new girlfriend? Or they’ve been dating for five minutes? Or you’re keeping things small and intentional? You’re allowed to say no.

This doesn’t mean you don’t love your friend. It means you’re choosing to surround yourself with people who actually know you, support you, and feel like home.

A wedding invite isn’t a moral judgment. It’s not a ranking system. It’s simply a boundary.

More and more couples are choosing not to offer blanket plus-ones, and honestly? It’s one of the healthiest trends I’m seeing. Smaller guest lists. More meaningful interactions. Less stress. Less obligation. More room to actually enjoy the people you invited in the first place.

If someone takes it personally, that’s theirs to unpack—not yours to fix.

So if you’re on the fence about allowing plus-ones, here’s your permission slip:
You get to design a day that feels safe, intentional, and true to you.

No apologies. No explanations. No guilt spiral required.

Your wedding. Your people. Your rules.

And that? That’s a badass way to start a marriage.