HOW MANY WEDDING INVITATIONS DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO ORDER?

A simple tip that could save you money - and stress -on your wedding stationery

If you’re deep into wedding planning and starting to budget for your invitations, one of the most common questions is:

“Do we need one invite per guest?”

The short answer: No!

And if you’ve been working off that assumption, you might be about to order (and spend) far more than you actually need.

Bespoke wedding invitations by Signed By Charlotte

ONE WEDDING INVITATION PER HOUSEHOLD - NOT GUEST

Here’s the golden rule: You only need to send one wedding invitation per household or couple.

That means:

• One invitation for a couple living together

• One for a family (e.g. parents + children living at the same address)

• One for a single guest

• 
  

So if you have 100 guests attending your wedding, you may only need to order around 40-60 invitations, depending on how your guest list breaks down.

A design from the Semi-Custom House Collection by Signed By Charlotte

why this tip will save you more than just money

Getting the numbers right from the start helps you:

• Avoid overspending on your wedding invitations

• Stay on top of postage costs

• Keep your guest list simple and organised when it comes to RSVP tracking and addressing envelopes

  
  

It also means you can focus more of your budget on personal touches - like envelope liners, wax seals, or upgraded printing methods - that elevate the invitations your guests will receive.

SHOULD I ORDER EXTRA INVITATIONS?

Yes - always order a few extras!

Here’s why:

• You may want to keep some as a keepsake (and for your photographer to capture on the day)

• You might need to send a last-minute invite

• Mistakes happen - spare invites mean less stress if you accidentally write the wrong name or need a re-do

• Postal issues - Royal Mail often has delays or lost items, so it's a good idea to have a few extras incase you need to re-send any.

I usually recommend ordering 5-10 extra invitations on top of your final count, just to be safe.

A design from the Semi-Custom House Collection by Signed By Charlotte

READY TO START YOUR WEDDING STATIONERY?

If you’re thinking about your wedding invitations and wondering where to begin, I’d love to help guide you through the process.

I offer both fully bespoke designs and semi-custom collections, so there's something for every style and budget.

Please get in touch to request my wedding brochure - it’s full of inspiration, pricing, and everything you need to get started!

Charlotte x