Free planning tool

How many guests will actually come?

Split your invite list into groups, set how many you expect to say yes, and get a headcount you can order chairs and food against.

To estimate attendance, split invited guests into groups (local, out-of-town, plus-ones, long shots), multiply each group by the share you expect to accept, and add them up. Order chairs for the high end of the range, plus vendors who need a seat and a few spares for late replies.

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No sign-up. Your answers stay in your browser and in the page link.

Enter how many people you will invite in each group, then how many of them you think will say yes. The starting percentages are placeholders, not survey data: change them to fit your crowd.

Local guests invited

Live within an easy drive.

Expected yes

Out-of-town guests invited

Need a flight or a hotel.

Expected yes

Plus-ones and kids invited

Only those you invited by name or as a guest.

Expected yes

Long shots invited

Courtesy invites you don't expect to see.

Expected yes

Vendor meals and seats

Photographer, DJ, planner who sit down.

Spare chairs

For late RSVPs and broken chairs.

122

Guests expected

76% of 160 invited

149

Chairs to order

High estimate, vendors and spares

106–138

Likely range

Each group's yes rate 10 points lower or higher

160

Total invited

By group

Local guests85 of 100
Out-of-town guests18 of 30
Plus-ones and kids16 of 20
Long shots3 of 10

Order chairs for the high number, and give the caterer and rental company your real RSVP count when it is due.

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How it works

Using the guest count estimator

Step 1Enter invited guestsPut each person in the group that fits them best.
Step 2Set the yes rateYour own guess for each group. Change the placeholders.
Step 3Add vendors and sparesSeats for vendors and a few extra chairs.
Step 4Order and shareCopy the link or price the chairs.

The method

How we work out the numbers

Expected guests are each group's invited number times your yes rate, added together. The range moves every group's rate 10 points down and 10 points up, which shows how much your count could swing.

Chairs to order are the high estimate plus vendor seats, plus your spare percentage, rounded up. Once you have your count, the tables and chairs calculator turns it into a table plan and the budget splitter shows your cost per guest.

Questions

Guest count estimator: FAQ

How do I estimate how many guests will come?

Split your list into groups that behave differently, such as local guests, out-of-town guests, plus-ones and courtesy invites. Give each group your own expected yes rate, multiply, and add the groups up. That gives a more honest number than one rate for everyone.

Where do the starting percentages come from?

They are placeholders so the tool shows a result straight away. They are not survey data. You know your crowd better than any average does, so change each rate to what you expect.

Should I order chairs for the expected number or the high number?

Order for the high end of the range plus anyone who needs a seat but isn't a guest, like vendors who eat with you. Then send your rental company the real RSVP count by their final-count deadline.

Do vendors need chairs and meals?

Often, yes. Photographers, videographers, DJs and planners who work through dinner usually need a seat and a meal. Check each contract and add them to the vendor field.