Invites

I think its the norm for people to just assume lol. We have a bunch of people who assumed they will be invited to our big wedding. For the ones who have asked us, we kindly told them that they weren't invited because it wasn't in budget. For the others who are assuming, if they ask we will tell them otherwise they will figure it out when they don't receive an invite.

It's definitely human nature to assume haha. It might be good to just update them on wedding planning and be clear about the options you might have for them (livestream) and that it's a very small and intimate setting. Perhaps "You're Not Invited" can be taken harshly depending on the tone; just be kind and let them know that you still care about them and want to provide alternative plans (if you have any).

Talking about safety during the pandemic would be good too... I'm sure people will understand that it's just not the same anymore.