Events
Party Invitation Calculator
Enter guests invited, expected attendance % and an extras buffer to see expected headcount.
How many people will actually come?
Invitation lists are not headcount. Multiply guests invited by an expected attendance percentage — weddings and formal dinners often run higher than casual open-house invites — then apply a small extras buffer for plus-ones and late RSVPs when ordering food or seating. Eighty invited at 70% with a 10% buffer is 56 raw expected and about 62 to plan for after ceil. Tune the percent from your last similar event rather than a generic rule of thumb. Food quantities pair with party food and drinks with party drinks.
Worked example
80 × 70% = 56 expected; +10% buffer ≈ 61.6 → plan for 62.
Limits and assumptions
Single attendance rate. Does not split adults/children or ticketed vs free RSVP systems.
Frequently asked questions
What attendance % should I use?
Check past RSVPs for similar events. Casual parties may sit near 50–70%; formal seated events often higher.
What is the extras buffer?
A percentage uplift on expected headcount for surprise guests and late yeses when under-ordering is costly.
Should no-shows equal 100−attendance?
Approximately, if everyone was invited once — the breakdown shows invited minus raw expected.
Seating vs catering?
Use the buffered figure for food; seating charts may still place the full invited list if you assign places early.