What percentage of invited guests actually attend?

For casual parties, expect 70-80% attendance. Formal events see 75-85%. Weddings typically get 80-90%. Kids parties have the highest rate at 85-95%. Corporate events are lower at 60-70%. These rates vary by time of year, day of week, and how far in advance you invite.

How does distance affect attendance?

Local guests (within 30 minutes drive) attend at 10-15% higher rates than distant guests. For weddings with many out-of-town guests, expect 15-20% lower attendance from those travelling. Providing accommodation information helps increase distant guest attendance.

When should I send invitations?

Send formal event invitations 6-8 weeks in advance. Wedding invites go out 8-12 weeks ahead. Casual party invites need 2-4 weeks notice. Save-the-dates for weddings should go out 6-9 months in advance. Giving more notice increases attendance rates.

Should I over-invite to hit my target number?

Yes, if you need exactly 50 guests, invite 60-65 for a casual party or 55-60 for a wedding. This accounts for typical decline rates. Some people also send a B-list of invites once early declines come in, though this is controversial for weddings.

PartyCalcs

Guest List Calculator — Expected Attendance

Plan your guest list and estimate how many people will actually attend.

Event TypeSets the base attendance rate (e.g. wedding ~85%, corporate ~65%)

Total Invited (if not splitting)

Everyone you plan to invite — leave blank if using the local/distant split below

Local Guests (within 30 min)

Number INVITED who live within ~30 min (more likely to attend)

Distant Guests (travelling)

Number INVITED who must travel (less likely to attend)

How We Calculate This

This calculator uses industry attendance rates to predict how many of your invited guests will actually come.

Attendance rates used

Casual party: 75% base rate
Formal event: 80% base rate
Wedding: 85% base rate
Kids party: 90% base rate
Corporate: 65% base rate

Local guests get +10% and distant guests get -15% adjustments to the base rate.

These are planning heuristics, not guarantees. Wedding acceptance typically runs ~80-85% (RSVPify / The Knot guest studies, ~83% “yes”), and attendance for distant or out-of-town guests can be 25-30 percentage points lower than for local guests (~85% local vs ~55% out-of-town in wedding-planner data). Actual turnout varies with how far in advance you invite, the day, the season and travel cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Adjust quantities based on your guests and event type.