The exciting (and stressful!) wedding planning time has come, and next on your checklist is ordering wedding invitations. It seems an easy task to do, right? But you can’t be too careless in deciding the number of invitations you need for your big day.
Of course, it’s good to have an idea of how many guests you plan to invite to your wedding. But remember, your guest count is NOT the same as the number of your wedding invitations. You don’t want to spend your hard-earned money to end up with too many invitations you won’t use.
So, how many invitations do you really need? Read on, and we’ll help clear some of your doubts.
How many Wedding Invitations to Order?
1. Count by the number of Households
Now that you have made your guest list, it’s time to determine how many invitations you need to order. You might be tempted to order based on headcount, but not every guest on your list needs an invitation. So, to get an estimate, count them by household. If you have roommates but not family guests, they should get their wedding invitations.
2. Keep a few for keepsakes
It’s only natural to keep souvenirs from your wedding. Like your wedding dress, wedding invitations are one of the keepsakes you can hold on to. So, give yourself 2-3 wedding invitations for keepsakes.
3. Give 1-2 for Photographer
As we all know, a wedding invitation is the first impression of the upcoming wedding. It deserves a spot on your list of photos. So, give 1-2 invitations to your Photographer to shoot at your wedding.
4. Have 5-10 Extra Invitations
Once you have the number of invitations above accounted for, add 5-10 extra invitations to be safe. You can’t always be too sure. Some invitations might get lost in the mail. Or, you might want to add more people to your guest list. Having to order reprints at a later date will be costly. We want to avoid that.
5. Order Extra Envelopes
Order at least 20% extra envelopes in case of addressing mess-ups. So, if you are ordering 100 invitations, add at least 20 more envelopes.

Wedding planning already has its challenges, so do yourself a big favor and save yourself from a last-minute headache! Plan and consider these tips.
Of course, if you ever need help planning your wedding, we’re just a click away. We’re happy to hold your hand on this journey.
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