How Many Wedding Invitations Do I Actually Need?

This is one of the most common mix-ups we see when couples place their first stationery order: counting invitations by guest instead of by household. Get this number right and you'll save money and avoid a stressful reorder later.

Count Households, Not Guests

One invitation goes to one household, not one invitation per person. A couple, a family with three kids, or a guest bringing a plus-one all receive a single invitation between them. For a wedding with 100 guests, you might only need 55-65 invitations once you account for couples and families attending together.

How to Get an Accurate Count

Build your guest list first, by household, before you place your stationery order. Go through it with your partner (and both sets of parents, if they're inviting guests too) and group names into who will physically open one envelope together.

Always Order a Few Extra

We recommend ordering 10-15 extra invitations beyond your household count. This covers:

• Last-minute additions to the guest list
• A keepsake copy for yourselves
• One for each set of parents, if they'd like to keep one
• Any addressing mistakes when you're filling out envelopes by hand

Reordering a small batch later almost always costs more per invitation than ordering a few extra upfront, so it's worth padding your first order rather than cutting it close.

What About Save the Dates?

The same household-count logic applies to save the dates, though your save the date list may be slightly smaller than your final invitation list if you're still finalising some guests when they go out.

Don't Forget Day-Of Stationery

Once your invitations are sorted, remember your day-of pieces are counted differently again, place cards and menus are ordered per guest (or per seat), not per household, since every individual gets their own at the table.

Quick Reference

As a simple guide: count your households for invitations and save the dates, add 10-15 as a buffer, then switch to counting individual guests for menus and place cards. Getting this distinction right from the start is the easiest way to keep your stationery order accurate and stress-free.

Ready to build your list and place your order? Browse our full range of wedding invitations or get in touch if you'd like help working out your numbers.