Navigating an Uneven Guest List

My family is huge... but my fiancé is an only child. How can I make sure that his family doesn't get overwhelmed by mine at the wedding?

First discuss with your fiancé how many guests you want to have at the wedding. Several factors influence this decision: budget, the location of the reception and the size of your families. While it would be a shame to exclude members of a large family, you must put all the facts on the table before you make a decision. Find out from his parents, either directly or through your fiancé, if they mind the lopsided numbers. They might not mind at all. Or you might decide that the difference in family size would indeed be awkward, and opt for for a small wedding to maintain a better balance. Either way it's a good idea for the ushers to seat people from your family on both sides of the aisle so that the discrepancy isn't so obvious. If your financé's family embraces the idea of mingling with your large family, they to make most of the introductions ahead of time so they won't feel so overwhelmed at the reception.Whatever path you choose, his parents will appreciate your concern and efforts to make them feel comfortable.