How many wedding invitations should I order?
How many wedding invitations do you really need? It may seem like a simple question, however you’ll probably need less than you think!
One of the most common wedding planning mistakes (myself included, before I was a wedding stationer I might add!) is ordering one invitation per guest, when in fact you only actually need one per household or couple.
Here’s my simple guide on ordering the right quantity of invitations for your wedding day…
Make a list
As a general rule, the quantity of invitations you need to order is around 60% of your total guest count. This method will come in handy if you’re at the beginning of your wedding planning and just need a rough figure to get an idea on costs for your budget.
The most accurate way is to make a good old fashioned list. List your guests, keeping guests from the same household or couples together, so you can then run down this list counting how many households and couples you have. This is your invitation quantity! My most favoured way to do this is in a spreadsheet so you can easily reorder as necessary.
Extras
So now you have your main quantity, add some extras for those accidentally forgotten family members (don’t worry, it happens to us all!), plus for any late additions, or to replace any that may get lost in the post on their way to your guests. The general advice is to add an extra 5-10% to cover all eventualities.
It’s a good idea to add these extras in your first stationery order, as ordering a smaller quantity from your stationer later down the line will end up being quite costly due to set up time and minimum printing costs.
Keepsakes
Whether they’ll be proudly framed, or kept in your treasured wedding memory box after your wedding day, don’t forget to add two or three extras for keepsakes. Quite often, your family members may like a keepsake too.
Photographer
Order one or two extra invitations for your photographer so they can capture your suite as part of your wedding photos. Ask if they’d like them sent to them directly beforehand as sometimes they may style a flatlay before your wedding day to save time on the day itself. If so, speak with your stationer as they may send them directly to the photographer for you.
Envelopes
If you’re addressing your envelopes yourself, definitely order around 10-20% extra envelopes in case of any mistakes! Alternatively, most stationers will be able to address these for you.
So in a nutshell, you only need one invitation per household or couple. Order around ten extras for late (or forgotten!) additions, as well as a couple of extras for keepsakes and one or two for your photographer.
I hope this been helpful, and again if you have any questions or need any advice I’m always here to help. You can also browse through my wedding invitation collections here to start your wedding stationery journey!