Are you racking your brains over your wedding guest list? TikTok is once again coming to the rescue.

A video posted by Gabrielle Renè (@gadabout_gab) has gone viral after she shared a simple but telling guideline from one of her followers: If you wouldn’t invite someone to dinner together, don’t invite them to your wedding.

The advice has been well received by TikTok viewers, with many praising the rule as a practical solution to avoid unnecessary stress with the guest list.

“No one should be invited to your wedding that you wouldn’t sit and eat with,” Renè said in the video. “For example, if you don’t invite them to dinner because they’re in town, they’re not on the guest list.”

One viewer commented: “I agree too because I hate being the ‘I have to invite them out of pity’ invite for distant cousins ​​and the like.”

Another posted an applause emoji and wrote: “My wedding will not be a family reunion.”

Newsweek spoke to certified etiquette coach Jamila Musayeva about why this rule is becoming increasingly popular and how it reflects broader changes in the way modern couples approach wedding planning.

“Weddings are very personal events and it’s natural to want to surround yourself with people who really care about you and with whom you have a bond,” said Musayeva. “However, the pressure to invite certain people – such as relatives, colleagues or acquaintances – often comes from social obligations, cultural expectations and the desire not to offend anyone.”

Musayeva pointed out that weddings are traditionally seen as community events, where one invites as many people as possible who have played a role in the life of the couple or their family. However, this can lead to an overloaded guest list that does not reflect the couple’s true wishes or ideas.

To manage this pressure, Musayeva suggested creating staggered invitations, giving priority to close family and friends and then inviting others as space and budget allow. This approach helps couples find a balance between meeting expectations and doing what feels right for them.

However, she also warned of the possible consequences of excluding people from the guest list.

“Weddings are significant life events and very rarely do people forget that they weren’t invited,” Musayeva said. “It’s important to consider the impact these decisions have on your relationships.”

This discussion about guest lists is part of a larger shift where couples are redefining wedding traditions to better align with their values ​​and preferences. By adopting the rule Renè laid out, couples can manage to focus on what’s important on their big day: celebrating love and connection with those who matter most to them.

“Make it normal to only invite people who make a difference in your life now… not those from the past,” one user commented on the video.

Newsweek asked @gadabout_gab for comment via TikTok.