How many declined invites?

ashbosity

My wedding planning book says to plan for 10-20% declines, so I've been saying about 100 guests to all my vendors since my guest list is about 125. About 3/4 of my guests live within an hour or two. I've seen a few people on the boards say they invited like 130 and only 50 came! How many did you invite and how many came? I'm trying to get a decent idea so I can tell my caterer and figure out a budget.

Theresa626

I invited 110 and told all vendors 100.  For everything, I played it on the safe side and tried to round up in terms of how much everything would cost.  

We actually have only 77 people attending the wedding.  So we had thirty percent decline.  

But, some weddings get 100% attendance.  I think you should always plan for 100 and be delightfully surprised when it's not. After I got a bunch of no,s I added on some things I had wanted but left out before like airbrush make up and chair covers and sashes and I got a reception dress.  

If I were you, I'd plan for 125 and be happy when it wasn't.  .  

therockisblinding05

I wanted 200 but we invited 271 knowing a good deal wouldn't come and now our final count is 166. We were praying we wouldn't be over 200 by a lot and we ended up being way under

AileeneG

Our list was 317 and we ended up with just under 250 people there, I believe.

mlharbis

I invited 115 and 55 are coming. That is very unusual. 90% of my guests are OOT and most of the people that declined are young and couldnt afford to travel. Also, some of the people we thought would come aren't because another guy that went to FI's high school is having his wedding the same weekend as us in the town where everyone is from so it is much easier for them to go to that than travel from Memphis to Orlando.

Pretty Parula

We invited about 130 and ended up with around 75. That was mostly family, so very few of our friends came Many of the ones that did come left early.

Theresa626

Alyssa that's so sad that your friends left early.  I never understand that but it seems common.  You would think that the younger people would be the ones to stay late and not vice versa.  Why do you think they left early?  

brit21489

I think we invited like 180-190 and knew of many that weren't coming.The final count was around 130, and probably like 120 came.

But I agree, plan for 125 and then be happy when it gets lower. You don't want everyone to show up or rsvp yes and not be able to accommodate that many. But the likelihood of that happening is small.