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Guest list for Baby Shower.. I don't know half of them. What would you do?

My boyfriends sister in law just called me to go over the guest list for my upcoming Baby Shower. She named about 20 people, in which half-I didn't know who in the world it was. Do you think that we should still invite these people? I don't believe I've met some of them, but they do know my boyfriend (obviously, as they are family). I don't want to leave anyone out just because we haven't met but I don't want to have awkward moments, like when opening gifts-where I look around the room & wonder who in the world Aunt Thelma is! My boyfriends Sister in Law got the list from his Aunt, and she has been in the family alot longer than I have & she didn't know half of the people either! I don't want to invite Great Aunt So & So just so she'll come and bring a gift. I want it to be people that I know & that know me. What would you do?

Public Comments

1. thats a tough one. i would def talk to your husband about what he thinks or if he may have some pictures to help you out when you are trying to figure out who the people are! you may not be doing it for the gifts, but hey, it doesnt hurt! haha good luck.
2. NO. My shower is going to be a surprise...However, I will be making the guest list. My mother told me to make out a list of people to invite and she will take it from there. Why would you invite people you didn't know...that's ridiculous.
3. hmmm...i would def talk to your aunt or whoever made the list and give her your list also. because you dont want way too many people at your shower!!
4. You should have whoever you are comfortable with. This is a time where you can be selfish! It's your shower! Good luck!
5. If they are family to your boyfriend I'd say invite them.. But other people you don't know I wouldn't. My friend and my mom are planning mine and my friend wants to invite some friends that she has that I know, but not well at all. I'm not inviting them. I'm making my guest list and giving it to them. Most of them are family and some are friends. One is a friend of my mom's that I don't know all that well but she's very nice and always asks about me. I'm not inviting anybody that I don't know that's not family.
6. Your boyfriend's relatives and close friends should be invited. It is your baby shower, but it's his baby also. I don't know a lot of my in-laws, but just know that at the baby shower you're going to mingle with everyone and you'll get to meet them then. So it won't be like everyone shows up and you immediately open presents. People loves babies and they love baby showers. No one is going to feel like they HAVE to buy a present. If they do, it's because they want to, don't feel guilty about it. This could be a great opportunity to get to know your boyfriend's family and friends. Don't sweat it, have a great time! :)
7. my family and husbands family had list of ppl they wanted to come to the shower...i had no clue who they were...we invited about 50 ppl (which was ok b/c of course not everyone you invite shows up, they usually say half does) but anyways, we had about 35 plus show up, a bunch of ppl i knew and even some i didn't, however, this is our first baby we are going to have so i didn't mind...a shower (it might sound bad but its true) is there to help you with things you need for the baby b/c babys are expensive..if these ppl want to come and show love and support then 1. its a good time to meet them and 2. they will be helping yall by buying things for your new family...so i would say yes...invite everyone that your family recommends, b/c they may have been ppl that supported or loved your boyfriend at a point in his life and would love to be a part of this special moment. also it could be situations like for instant, ppl my mom work with, my mom goes to all their kids events and ya know gets them gifts for things so even tho i don't know all of her people she works with they still like to come and bring us gifts to show appreciation for my mother doing it with their kids..ya know?? so i wouldn't turn anyone away who wants to come... plus you may invite some of these ppl and they might not even show, we got alot of mailed money, gift cards and gifts from ppl that didn't come but it really helped us in buying things we needed...so YESS YES YES!! invite them!!
8. I would go over the list with your boyfriend to see if he knows these people. If he knows them well, then invite them because chances are they are going to want to celebrate even if they haven't met you yet! If he doesn't know who they are, or barely knows them, then I would talk to whoever made the list and politely ask who these people are. Tell them that you were really wanting a shower that is intimate, with mostly people you know. My mother-in-law is planning on throwing me a shower and wants to invite everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE! Her coworkers and friends, her cousins, literally everyone! Many people I have not even met before! I'm going to let her do it because I figure that some of these people won't even come. Some of them will come not for me, but because they know the family and want to celebrate in their joy and bring presents for the baby. Thats fine too. My mother is throwing me a smaller, more intimate shower with only people I am really close with so I don't really care about my mother-in-law's shower. If this isn't your only shower, I'd say let them do it. If it is the only shower you're getting, then I'd politely object.
9. Just cuz you send them invitation doesn't mean they will come. They may live to far away but might like to send you a gift. Every woman likes shopping for baby stuff. I invited my whole family even though I know none of them would come since they live so far away.
10. You need to include the father-to-be's family. The little one will be their relative too. Great Aunt So and So may want the chance to welcome her new great great niece or nephew even if she doesn't know you. If not, she won't come. It's better to invite extra than to leave one out. Plus you get more gifts so be happy!
11. That would be RUDE! THIS is HOW you get to know them! Just because YOU don't care to meet his family, did you ever stop to think that Aunt so and so may want to meet YOU? They are putting this on, not you, it's up to THEM who to invite. All you have to do is be gracious and thankful that they cared enough to do this for you and not be rude! I mean you sound very ungrateful already! Is this just a temporary thing for you or are you planning on becoming part of the FAMILY? I mean you aren't married so if you're just in a temporary place, maybe you should tell them that and NOT let them throw you a baby shower. Sounds like THEY are expecting you to become family!
12. I don't think this is really all that uncommon. Some of those who want to provide baby gifts often consist of those who aren't close with the parents-to-be, but people who are friends with the grandparents-to-be, and distant relatives. Do either one of you come from a big family? That's part of the reason that shower games were created---to act as an ice breaker for people who are not familiar with one another. I don't know a lot of people on my shower list either---all I know is that they are friends or relatives of my husband's side of the family, so if these people are special to them, then that is good enough for me. Worst case scenario is I get extra presents, and there will hopefully be extra people there to keep my mother in law entertained so I don't have to. I say just let them come. Have fun shower games and be careful to write down who gives what gift so that you can be sure to send thank-yous to everyone, including those that you don't know as well.