Number of Guests at the wedding reception

For proper planning, you need estimate the number of guests that would actually attend the event and their age profile.

Number of Guests that would attend wedding reception

This number determines the needed facilities as well as the amount of food to be catered.

In India, majority of guests include following

Family members (Grand parents, parents, uncles, aunts)

Extended family members: Cousins of every width (first, second, third) and depth (two or even three levels removed)

Family friends

Community acquaintances (Neighbors)

Friends and co-workers of the couple to be wed.

In United States, the composition is slightly different. Extended family members and community acquaintances are included only if there is a close friendship.

Many factors influence this number; such as:
1. Some guests won't RSVP but will show up.
2. Some guests will RSVP and won't show up.
3. How many guests are out-of-town?
4. How is the weather and the driving conditions?
5. Some guests show up who were not on your Invitations list, but invited by someone close; e.g., your grandma might have invited her friends from the Bingo game and forgot to tell you.
There is no way to predict a real number. According to Expert Opinion 70% of the invited guests may attend . So, if your invitation list has 300 persons, plan on 210 guests.

Age Profile

In India, music selection is based on old and current movies. In United States, age profile of guests is important to determine the type of music and food items to be served. Many factors influence the guest profile including the age of the newlyweds, their roots in the area, faith etc.. The numbers should be scrutinized closely. We have created a calculator based on Expert Opinion for your use.