I sent out all my family invites last week, I invited all my cousins, some of them live with their partners so they were invited as well. I have one cousin who doesn't have a partner and still lives at home with her mum and my Grandma so I sent the invite to her and her mum. She sent me a facebook message last night asking if she could bring a friend with her. Now I do have space as h2b brother has just emigrated and won't be able to come back for the wedding but I am not sure I want her to bring just a friend? I had planned on having a meal with my family the night before, they live in Aberdeen and Cardiff so I don't get to see them very often and I really wanted it to be a family thing. Plus, she is 24 and going to a family wedding, I am not entirey sure why she needs to bring a friend. WHen I asked who it was she said it was someone called Steve, so not sure if he is more than a friend and she just doesn't want to say it. I feel a bit mean saying she can't bring someone when the others are but then if he isn't her partner I don't know whether I want a total stranger there or not?
I have said for now that I will need to look at numbers but I am really not sure what to say?

Personally I agree with MrsWright hun, but I know how hard it can be sometimes with numbers and stuff, but if you have the space available and she'd prefer to have that someone there, I don't see what harm it can do xxx

Hmmmm tough one..... i personally only want people at our wedding (day time) who we both have met. And its only family and really close friends at our day time.

Ive got around the "partner" situation by saying they could come to the night instead. The night time is more social I think as the day time is a meal and ceremony so she may not feel like she needs to be with someone then but the night time people dance, drink, mingle etc etc so may feel she wants some company then x

Now I have other people coming to the day who are bringing a plus one to the night, but, my relatives are driving all the way down from Aberdeen (I live in North Wales) so I can't really apply this one to them. No one else is having a plus one that we don't know to the day as we can't afford it and the only plus ones to the night are people we know. In reality I don't think I can say no, I think the only reason I am questioning it is because I have never met this person before, no one else has met this person and it might end up that he is not a sociable person and he might sit awkwardly in a corner and not join in the party. This is the first time in over 5 years that we have met as a family for a happy occasion, we have had 4 family funerals but nothing happy and I wanted this to be a happy family party where all my family are a family together. I don't ever see them now, unless its for a funeral and I know this sounds a bit selfish but I don't want someone I don't know getting in the way of me being with my family for this one happy occasion.

If you really dont want to - and its undersandable why you dont, then just use the numbers excuse. I didnt want someone at my bday night out that i didnt know, and that was just for a night out lol because id not seen my friend (Who was asking for the plus one) for ages. theres that obligation for the gust with the plus one to keep them entertained if they dont know anyone else and that part of it i can completely understand

If she is part of the family surely there are others she knows, so it can't be a case of being nervous about going alone. My fiancé and I are inviting partners of people but not friends unless they would be there in their own right. Maybe you need to check if this is more than a friend, and perhaps try to meet him. It may be that she sees a wedding as an ideal occasion for a date with someone who she hasn't made up her mind about yet, as it's a safe space.

Why don't you try and find out a bit more and whether he is her fella x

I've spoken to my mum and my h2b about it and they both think I should just say yes and let her bring him. Not entirely sure how they are going to get down here as that then makes 6 of them and I am pretty sure they only have 1 car between them but I will leave the travel logistics to them. I am going to hold off saying that he can come for a couple more weeks and check for definite that I can fit him in, I've only had 1 rsvp so far so I want to wait until they start coming in before I say yes.
I've had a sneaky look through her facebook wall and he seems to have been a fairly constant person in her life for a while so she must know him quite well but they don't speak to each other like they are in a relationship, more just like really good friends.

i would say yes

my oh and have discusssed similar, what if the single people suddenly get a new partner before the wedding and want them, we worry they will split up and we will have some random person in photos..i am not sure about friends, it costs a lot per head for some weddings. as we are only having a buffet i would say i dont mind IF there is space, as i want all my guests to feel comfy.

If you have the space and can afford it then why not however if you cant then i think No. It's a family wedding so she will know plenty of people and not be left on her own. My best friend has a new boyf who she wanted an invite for, we both wanted to get to know him before the wedding as its the most important day of our lives and i dont want to spend it with a stranger so we have meet up for dinner a few times and i feel better about him coming however other single friends are not having automatic invites for plus ones if we havent meet them.