The Guests

The
Guest
List

78 guests will be in attendance (including the couple and their families).

Reasoning:

The most significant factor regarding the size of the guest list was the budget. While the couple is receiving some assistance from their parents and padrinos, they wanted to be mindful of the cost of the wedding. They also did not wish to sacrifice the quality of their experience (e.g. food, venue, etc.) in favor of hosting more guests.
Another factor contributing to the smaller guest list is the fact that many of Elena’s relatives still live down in Mexico and would not be able to make the trip en masse. Several of her family members expressed concerns regarding the unfortunate trends of violence and racism that have been prevalent in the American news over the past several years. The couple hopes to travel to Mexico sometime shortly after their wedding, perhaps for a portion of their honeymoon, to celebrate more extensively with that side of the family.
(Bonus!) Elena was delighted to discover that, upon their final guest count, they have 78 people attending their reception - the precise number of cards in a standard deck of tarot cards.

The guests are primarily traveling from out of state. Many are coming from Aidan’s home state of New Jersey or Elena’s hometown of Philly. Several guests, including their officiant (a mutually beloved Dickinson College professor, Clayton Weiss), will be traveling from central PA.
A few of Elena’s relatives, including her Abuela and several tías, will be flying in from Mexico. Additional friends from childhood through college will be arriving from various points around the States.
While the couple does not call the D.C. area home, they wanted to hold their wedding in a location that made travel easier for all of their guests, whether they be traveling by car, train, or plane.

Photo by Sophie Louisnard on Unsplash

Guests traveling from Mexico City will fly into Dulles International Airport due to the availability of flights.
Most other guests flying in for the wedding may prefer to arrive at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, due to its proximity to Washington, D.C. proper and the events of the weekend.

Elena’s Abuela primarily speaks Spanish, while her parents and tías are bilingual.
The mothers of the couple will be invited to say the Lord’s Prayer during the ceremony. Elena’s mother Maria will say the prayer in Spanish, followed by Aidan’s mother Margaret in English.
For the other readings within the ceremony, Elena will have the Spanish translations printed up and bound into a small keepsake book to give to her Abuela at the beginning of the day.