Friends Question (Inner Circle - Outer Circle)

I'd ignore it. If they bring it up, just tell them what you said here - you wish you could invite everyone, but budgetary considerations dictate that you keep the party to only close friends and family. This situation has happened so many times with my various mom friends. As long as YOU aren't throwing it in their face that you're having to which they are not invited, you're fine. Honestly, anyone who would get that offended about not being invited really isn't worth the effort.

Just ignore it and continue on with your plans. You are not in high school anymore, so you shouldn't have to play these silly games. Adults know that they aren't invited to everything that everyone does. It's just part of life. Enjoy!

I would go on as planned, you didn't want them there so you didn't invite them. You can help that someone thought they should email everyone. Ignore the email your buddy sent out, and if they happen to show up, greet them, but I wouldn't send an invite now... you weren't planning on them coming to begin with...

No, you can't invite them now. Only because you didn't invite them in the first place. You say you don't even really like them so no big loss. If you do invite them, that sort of opens the door then to having to invite them to future parties you were not intending to invite them to. So just let it go and if anyone says anything (that couple or any other couple) just say that you were trying to keep it a smaller group and leave it at that. No need to explain. Good luck.

Grin and bear it at this point.
To invite them as an afterthought would just make it worse.

Being that you said they never invite you to anything, I would not worry about it. I can understand that. We have a big party once a year and get togethers with friends throughout the year. I've gotten to the point that our big party is getting smaller. I'm tired of being the one that always does the entertaining and not ever being invited to others houses so I'm not the one always providing food, drinks etc... I would not invite them, either they get over it and stay the same or realize their behavior and start being more friendly...

My goodness...this is the ADULT world, not school. It's your party, you are the host, you are paying, and if you don't feel particulary close to this couple there is no reason you must feel obligated to invite them.

If they haven't invited you to any of their special events in recent years, I wouldn't invite them now. You aren't being the "popular girl in HS trying to exclude people"! A line has to be drawn somewhere sometimes for a party. Like you said, you have other friends who even closer. The fact that they don't invite you really should clear your conscience. Have you been mad at them for that? If they're mad or hurt, they're oblivious given they do the same thing!

Is it just this one other couple? If so, they come around often enough to extend the invitation, so everyone will still know each other and have fun. I think I would go ahead and invite them. If it will make things more awkward, don't invite them.

Unless its some kind of party where you make reservations and pay extra for each extra person, I would invite the other family.

If you are having something at your house, and its just a matter of a few extra groceries, definitely invite them. Two other people wont make it a big party.

This sounds SO much like a delimma I would find myself in so I totally get where you are coming from. I've discovered that that is what happens sometimes when we have a lot of close or close(ish) friends that know each other in some way.

I've had to deal with this situation so many times in the last year that I've now decided that I just can't keep everyone's feelings from getting hurt and I also can't invite everyone to everything we have. Don't extend any more invites if you didn't already plan on it.

I've even picked up the phone and apologized to a friend who didn't get invited to one of our events....who voiced her hurt feelings to several others. No, I didn't HAVE to explain....but we are neighbors and our kids play together and I just felt like I had to explain myself. Just be prepared should you feel the need to smooth things over later.

The other couple, will find out about it.
Then it depends, on how they view things like this, per inner-circle and outer-circle, friend groups.

Leave it alone and go on with your party.

This may sound bitter, but I've been on the other end of your dilemma. Your post makes me think of a popular, self-involved high school girl that's trying to keep all the cool people together and everyone else away.

It never feels good to be excluded in grade school, high school, and even as adults. Be a bigger person and open up the invite. You may find they're grateful you considered them to be a part of your "core group," or honestly, they may not even be thinking about you and your party.

This obviously weighs in your conscience or you wouldn't even bother poting it here on Mamapedia. No matter what the result of the invitation, the important thing is that YOU did the right thing and you'll feel better knowing you did.

This happened to be, not the same way but similar. Had a party for my son's communion and only invited family and a very short list of friends. For several reasons...one is that we have a lot of friends and couldn't afford to have everyone. Second is that it's a party where a gift is usually given so I kept it truly close friends. Anyway one friend found out and both her and her daughter started to cause grief for me and my daughter. (they are same age, keep in mind it was party for my son who has no ties to this family)
I have other friends that weren't invited and knew about it and didn't care, but this one, ugh, in hindsight it would have been easier for my daughter if we just invited them, she suffered the most for it. If this was a friend party for watching a football game or just hanging out, I would absolutely have invited them. Not an easy situation. You seem to lose either way.