Wedding numbers - how many did you have?

[Woahtherehoney]

Hello, I recently got engaged and am starting wedding planning

how many people did you all invite to the day and then the evening part of your wedding? I really don’t know how many people is too many or not! I have quite a big family but also lots of friends so need to work out who I may only be able to invite to the evening.

I had 80 in the day and 120 in the evening.
We had a few no shows so probably could've got away with 100-110

We had about 75 to the whole day, didn't have any extra invited for the evening.

Zero to the wedding part. Seven to the meal after, when we told them about the wedding part.

60 for the whole day

50 to the day, an extra 20 or so to the evening. Mostly DH’s cricket team!

Work out your budget and invite how many people you can afford or are willing to pay for.

15 including me, DH and our fosterling (it was covid times though)

95 for the whole day

50 day, 100 evening for us (probably only ended up with 80 in the evening)

30, it was the only way to avoid late MIL controlling everything.

For you I suggest making a budget and see how what you can afford.

Congratulations on your engagement.

First wedding 117 whole day Second wedding just 3 of us

Why not start writing a list, in 'chunks' - so,
Part 1 - who would you have if you could only have 12 - 15 people
Part 2 - who would you have if you could have 15 - 30 people
Part 3 - Who would you invite if you could invite 30 - 50 people
etc

Then start looking at some ideas - venues, caterers, and get some idea of prices.

Then you can decide if you'd rather pay £60pp and invite Unlce Bert's new partner and Dianne from Accounts, or pay £120pp but limit it to a few nearest and dearest.

It isn't really relevant if one of us only had 6 guests, when you and your dp both come from loving families and each have 4 siblings you love dearly and get on well with, plus Grandparents, God Parents and so forth. You have to look who is in your life.

Two witnesses, plus their partners.

10 to the wedding (including our 2 DC)
120 to a party a month or so later

We wanted everyone there so had about 80 to the day and 120 to the night. 3 no shows in day (2 had an emergency) and about 10 no shows to night. We had a tight budget so we had a hog roast rather than a sit down meal. It was half the price.

Same.

If budget is an issue could you have a very late ceremony and then one reception? Say 4pm ceremony and a reception at 6pm so everyone attends both parts. Then you need to feed people just once so can save a bit that way & have more guests.

I had 300 to mine but both sides of the family are huge & we made tweaks to make it happen. Didn't have money wasters like chair covers, favours & fancy wedding cars.

75 to the ceremony and main reception. Another 20-25 for the evening.

We has 22 for the wedding and meal afterwards. We then had two separate parties before and after our honeymoon with about 50 guests at each.

We had 50 for the day and 100 on the evening

35 all day/evening, and we got married abroad (which I know on here is generally hated but it was what we wanted).

Start with your budget, work out what you can afford and work back from that.

I don’t understand why so many people make all these plans without figuring out the actual costs first!

Didn’t do day/evening. Had an afternoon wedding and went right through

Thank you all - some very good advice about starting with the budget and then working from there. Also like the advice of doing 15 people you definitely want then working up from there.

My family is much bigger than my other half’s so just want it to feel as balanced as possible!

18 including me and dh, perfect for us.

40, all day/evening. I don’t know many more people than that well, and didn’t want it to feel fake.

Was a lovely number.

200 - Both our families and many friends flew over so had everyone for the whole day/evening