General · Events

RSVP headcount.

Turn your invited guest count into an expected attendance range and a catering headcount, using a real average RSVP acceptance rate rather than a guess.

Inputs

Guest list

Invited guests

Children among invited (optional)

Expected acceptance rate

Wedding-planning sources put the typical range at 70–90% acceptance (10–30% decline); Brides.com reports an average of 83% accept, 17% decline. Adjust for your own guest mix — destination and weekday events trend lower.

Catering

Estimated cost per attending guest

Your caterer or venue's per-head price, including tax and service if you know it.

Expected attendance

Fill the form and press Estimate headcount.

Sources, and when they were checked

The acceptance-rate figures above were checked against wedding-planning publications on 29 September 2026. RSVP behaviour shifts over time and by guest mix, so treat this as an early-planning estimate, not a substitute for your actual RSVP count as it comes in.

Brides.com — What Percentage of Guests RSVP Yes to Weddings? — source of the 83% average accept / 17% average decline figure used as this tool's default

Multiple other wedding-planning sources converge on a wider typical band of roughly 70–90% acceptance (10–30% decline), which this tool uses for its conservative/optimistic range. Most caterers and venues want a final, firm headcount 1–2 weeks before the event — use this estimate for early planning and deposits, then replace it with your real RSVP tally as responses arrive.

Last verified 29 September 2026