Want to know the number one question I get asked? “How much?” Okay, sometimes it’s phrased a little more politely, but price is a valid concern when shopping for anything, and your wedding stationery is no different. Just as I believe there’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to your wedding invitations, the same goes for quantity.

While I wish I could provide a quick answer, several factors influence the overall cost of your wedding stationery. The printing method, the size and number of enclosure cards, and additional accessories like wax seals are just a few elements that contribute to the price. However, before I can give you an estimate, there’s one crucial piece of information I need: How many invitations do you actually need?

This post will guide you through how to determine that number. Hint: It’s probably fewer than you think!

UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS

Consider this: Your total guest count is probably bouncing around in your head as a critical number for every vendor from the ceremony site to the caterer – since that is the number they need. But here’s a secret: that number is different from what you need when ordering wedding invitations. Surprised? It’s true! The number of invitations you’ll need is often much lower than your guest count. Many, if not most, of your guests belong to the same household, meaning you can address one invitation to multiple people, leading to significant cost savings for you. Here are a few tips to help you calculate the exact number of invitations you’ll need and avoid ordering more than necessary.

1. ONE INVITATION PER COUPLE

Send one invitation to a married couple or a couple living at the same address. 

2. ONE INVITATION PER FAMILY UNIT

Parents and children living in the same household, i.e., your uncle, aunt, and 3 cousins – can all be listed on a single invitation. However, children over the age of 18 should receive their own invitation, even if still living in their childhood home. 

3. ONE INVITATION PER SINGLE PERSON

If you’re inviting a single guest who may bring a date, you can address the envelope with “and guest” after their name. For example, “Ms. Grace Johnson and Guest.”

Note: If you know the name of the guest’s date, such as a long-term partner, it’s more thoughtful to address the invitation personally. Even if they don’t live together, you can address the outer envelope to “Ms. Grace Johnson” and the inner envelope to “Grace and Steven.” While this varies from strict etiquette, it adds a personal touch compared to the more generic “and guest.”

4. INVITING A SET OF ROOMMATES?

Send roommates their own invitation, even if they are living in the same household.

5. 10-15 EXTRA

When ordering your wedding invitations, including a few extras is essential. I recommend ordering 10-15 additional invitations, but if you want to follow the industry standard, order 10% more than your guest list. For a wedding with 200 guests, this would mean ordering an extra 20 invitations. This ensures you have enough for keepsakes, last-minute additions, or addressing errors.

Extra wedding invitations can be invaluable in several situations, such as:

• Forgetting to invite a coworker or friend
• Having space to invite more guests due to cancellations or declinations
• Needing to resend an invitation that was returned or damaged during mailing
• An invitation is damaged during assembly
• For keepsakes and for your photographer

It’s far more cost-effective to order extras upfront than to place a small re-order later, which can be significantly more expensive! Follow this link to my Instagram post, where I break down this cost difference in detail. COST BREAKDOWN: WHY ORDERING EXTRA INVITATIONS SAVES YOU MONEY.

Did you know—along with two heirloom suites for you, I provide two complete invitation suites for your photographer to capture beautiful detail shots, so you don’t have to worry about adding these to your final count?

How many wedding invitations should you order? A simple formula to estimate your needs.

Counting the addresses on your guest list spreadsheet is a quick way to determine the total number of invitations you’ll need to order. 

But what if it’s early in the planning process and you don’t have your guest list finalized yet? If that’s the case, a good rule of thumb to get a decent estimate is to add 25 to half the total number of guests you want to invite.

Let’s say you plan to invite 100 guests. 100 divided by 2 = 50. Then, adding 25 gives you an estimated invitation quantity of 75.

This is just a starting point for estimating your wedding invitations. However, it’s crucial to re-evaluate your numbers once your guest list is almost final. If your quantity changes from your initial estimate, please inform your stationer right away. Ordering five additional invitation suites after printing everything can be significantly more expensive.

Also, if you need fewer invitations, let your stationer know. While it’s good to have a few extras, you want to avoid ending up with stacks of unused invitations going to waste!

If you have any questions or need extra guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out—I’m here to help! Just email me directly at janeil@seventhandanderson.com, or send me a message via my Contact Page and I’ll be back in your inbox with a response in no time.

Looking for inspiration? Explore my Portfolio to see how past couples have transformed their vision into beautifully crafted invitations

*This post was originally published on November 29, 2019. It was updated and republished on October 1, 2024.