How many wedding invitations to order

Count households, not guests

One invitation goes to each household. A couple who live together share one, and so does a family with children living at home. The envelope names everyone the card invites, so nobody needs a card of their own.

A plus-one doesn’t get a card either: write “and Guest” or the partner’s name on the envelope of the guest you invite with one. Adult children who live away from home get their own invitation, even when their parents get one too.

Most lists are mostly couples, with some single guests and a few families, so households come to a little over half the guest count. The table counts 11 households for every 20 guests, adds 10 to 15 percent and rounds up to a quantity you can order.

How many extras to add

Add 10 to 15 percent to your household count. The extras cover guests you add from a second list once the first replies come in, an address that turns out to be wrong, an envelope spoiled in the writing, and the cards you’ll want to keep.

Round up, not down. A second order for a few forgotten guests means a second delivery charge and a second wait.

The cards guest lists forget

Some people never make the spreadsheet because they already know the date. Count them anyway: the wedding party gets invitations like every other guest household, and so does the officiant, with their partner if you invite them to the reception.

Both sets of parents get a card as a keepsake, even when their names are on it as hosts. Keep one or two for yourselves, and set one aside for the photographer’s flat-lay, the detail shots of rings, flowers and stationery on the day.

That’s 6 cards on top of the households. With 80 households or more, the extras usually cover them; with fewer, add them to your count before the extras.

From your count to the quantity you order

You can order 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 120 or 150 cards, flat or folded, in any wedding design. Take the first quantity at or above your count with extras: 92 to 96 invitations means ordering 100.

The price per card goes down in steps as the quantity grows, and never goes up. The cost page shows the price at every quantity.

A small wedding, or mostly digital invitations

For a small wedding, or one where most guests get a digital invitation, 10 or 20 printed cards are often enough: for grandparents, older relatives, the parents’ keepsakes and anyone who would rather have a card on the fridge than a link.

The smallest order is 10 cards, so a courthouse wedding with dinner for close family can have the same printed card as a large one. Count the printed ones the same way: one per household, plus your keepsakes.

When to order

Mail invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding, and order them in time to address and stamp the envelopes first. Settle the guest list first, so one order covers everyone.

The order page shows when your cards are expected before you pay.

Find your invitation

Choose a design and write your names, date and place. Our design assistant fits your words onto the card. You see a proof of both sides, and the order page shows when your cards are expected, before you pay.

Questions about how many invitations to order