"How Many People Should I Invite to My Wedding?" - Wedding Guest Etiquette

Guest count is a big factor in planning a wedding. The number of guests attending your wedding is important to know so you can figure out your budget, venue, and so much more. But how do you figure out how many people to invite? This blog will walk you through it. 

How many people should I invite to my wedding? 

Short answer – however many you want. At the end of the day, it's your wedding and you call the shots. But there are a few factors to consider before you decide. 

The number of people you invite to your wedding will affect the overall vibe and atmosphere of your special day. 

Do you want to have a private wedding ceremony with only your nearest and dearest loved ones, or do you want a large wedding that feels like a city-wide carnival? Perhaps you’d like something in-between. There are so many options to choose from! 

There’s no strict number of guests that make up each event, but here are some general guidelines from Zola. 

• The Elopement (4-10) 
• The Micro-wedding (6-20)
• The Family-reunion (20-80)
• The American (100-200)
• The Block Party (200-500)
• The Harry and Meghan (500+)

The vibe isn’t the only thing to consider when choosing a wedding size. Consider these things as well. 

Budget

How many Venues the total cost will be broken down by meal, so this is an easy way to determine how many people you can afford to host at your wedding.

Location

If you’re considering a destination wedding, it’s important to remember that your guests will need to pay to travel and stay in your location. Because destination weddings are more expensive, guests may not be able to come in person.

Family Size

The size of your family can be a big factor in determining how many guests will be invited to your wedding. If you have a large family you can cut your guest list at a specific generation or relation. And remember, it’s totally okay to only invite those family members that are close to you.

+1s and Kids 

If you plan to allow +ones and kids, your list is automatically going to be longer. Don’t feel like you need to do this though! Kid free and smaller weddings are becoming more and more common. 

Have you considered live streaming your wedding? 

Live streaming your wedding is a great way to solve some of these issues that may come up related to guest count as you plan your wedding. It’s becoming very common to have a large ceremony by inviting many virtual guests to witness your marriage, and then having a small in person reception for only your closest family and friends. Doing this allows you to have the best of both worlds – and it can help your budget too!

Lovecast is the perfect option to easily include more guests in your wedding day without having crowds of people in person. And you don’t have to choose an all in person or all virtual wedding. Lovecast allows you to do both without neglecting either group.

Etiquette for wedding guest lists 

When considering who to invite in person and who to invite virtually, think about: 

• Who is most important to you 
• The size of your venue 
• Guests’ physical ability to travel and navigate the venue 

It’s totally normal to have virtual guests at your wedding! Even before COVID, an average of  25% of guests couldn’t make it to a wedding in person. This might be due to many factors including child care, physical conditions, an inability to travel or get time off, etc. 

However, if guests are given the ability to attend virtually, they will greatly appreciate to still be part of your big day!

Make sure you take the time to treat your virtual guests the same as your in-person guests. You can send out digital invitations with all of the info they’ll need to access your wedding livestream. With Lovecast, this is a simple, user-friendly process.  

Virtual vs. In-person Guests

By using Lovecast for your wedding livestream, your virtual guests will not miss a thing! Lovecast is simply to use for both your guests and the person live-streaming. With unparalleled video and sound quality, your guests will feel like they’re right there with you. 

Lovecast has many unique features guests can use during your event to make it even more memorable. Our digital wedding guest book allows guests to write their well wishes and special notes to you. Our virtual tables and virtual rice toss give the feeling of being right in the room with you, and allow guests to interact with one another during your event. 

You can also upload a welcome video for your guests to view before they start the live stream. In this video you can thank them for attending your wedding virtually and make them feel special. They’ll also receive automatic reminders so they don’t miss a single moment of your most important day.

If you’re wondering “how many people should I invite to my wedding?” remember: you get to decide. But opting for a smaller wedding doesn’t mean you need to leave people out! Lovecast gives you the perfect opportunity to include everyone you love in your big day. Visit our website to learn more!