Your guest count decides almost everything: the hall, the number of tables and flowers, the dinner menu and therefore the budget. Getting it wrong is costly both ways: a half-empty hall, or guests without seats.
Start with three lists
- The core list: both close families and the friends the night would not be complete without.
- The second list: more distant relatives, colleagues and neighbours.
- The courtesy list: the people you invite because the relationship expects it.
Add up the numbers, then trim whatever goes beyond the hall’s capacity and your budget, starting with the third list.
How many will really come?
Fewer people come in the summer months when many travel. Open invitations without names are hard to estimate, so we recommend digital invitations with an RSVP two weeks before the wedding.
Ladies and men
If you choose a divided hall, estimate each section on its own. At many of our weddings the ladies’ section is the larger one, and we move the dividing wall as needed.
From the number to the hall
- Tables set for guests.
And keep a margin of about 10% for guests who come without confirming: a spare table ready is better than a guest looking for a seat.
