Guest Count

I would say stick with the COVID restrictions number for now. COVID and its restrictions are so unpredictable from day to day.

Just send the save the dates to your VIPs (the people you would invite no matter what). Then reevaluate when it's time to send your invitations (6 to 8 weeks before your wedding date). Things may have changed for the better by then, and it's completely fine to send invitations to people who did not receive save the dates. But it's not cool to uninvite people you have already sent save the dates to (it's also more stress on you).

I know with COVID people have had to downsize weddings and it's not their fault. But do yourself a favor and don't put yourself in that downsizing position since you don't have to.

You should stick to whatever the restriction amount because you never know what could happen unfortunately. Its always easier to invite people over uninviting them

I would totally skip the STDs at this point and stick to what the restrictions are now for creating your list. If it increases later you can always add, and since invites don't go out until 6-8 weeks before you'll have plenty of time to add people if restrictions lift a bit.

We sent our STDs to everyone on our original list but we A) put message on our site that we'd be following our state guidelines so our wedding would likely be very small and B) made it very clear that we'd stream it no matter what. That way people can celebrate and get excited with us before the wedding but everyone understood that STD doesn't necessarily equal an in-person invite.

Skip the save the date postcards and spend a day on the phone letting VIPs know. Then send out invites at 6-8 weeks. Go with the current capacity. Make a list of your must have guests you can't imagine the day without. Closer to the 6-8week mark you finalize the list of who is invited. Under no circumstances do you have a B list.