It s a typical question that lots of couples ask when they are planning their wedding, how many people should I invite to the wedding?

The answer is a bit different for everyone as there is no perfect answer.

The 2018 report from the Knot says the average number is 136, while the website Bustle says its about 120, that from 2016.

It’s safe to say the average nationally is a bit more than 100, but less than 150. From the two sources, we’d average about 128.

With the corona virus spreading all across the world these days, couples are being forced to have weddings with 25 or less and in some states like Virginia, less than 10 (not counting the essential staff like photographers and videographers)

Guests Are Your Largest Wedding Expense

Believe it or not, the largest line item on your wedding budget is the guest list.

The larger, the more money you will spend in food, wedding cake, alcohol and a partying gift of some type.

When you combine these line items together, you can easily spend 40-50% or more on the wedding.

When you combine the food, the alcohol and wedding cake, the national average on Wedding Wire is about $52 a guest and that’s a LOT of money!!

When it comes to guests, the more you have, the more expensive the wedding day will be. Sure, you can always go a cheaper route than the national average, but it will still cost you. Let’s dive into some real world totals for a moment.

We took the average of $52, then a low of $35 ($34.60) and a high end range of $71 per guest to do the math based on the number of guests not including vendors.

You can see that on the low end of the scale with 50 guests, that will cost you about $1,750 and on the high end of things with 150 guests, your pushing close to $11,000.

Why is Wedding Catering so Expensive?

Well, it’s a bit, complicated.

But you need to figure that your basically covering the cost of a large group of people rather than just a few like you may have done at a restaurant.

According to The Simple Dollar, the average meal when someone goes out to eat is about $12.75 which seems pretty reasonable. These are places like Applebee’s, TGI Fridays and the like, those sit down and dine in restaurants.

So, where is the difference in price, the $27 national average for weddings and the $13 national average for a sit down restaurant?

Well, the truth is that it’s in two things, the type of food you ordered and the catering services itself.

Food Types Can Be Expensive

First, the various types of food you order can cost you big bucks.

Take chicken vs., vs. pork chops vs. prime rib for example, the three proteins may duke it out but more times than none, you’ll see a chicken dinner than a pork or steak one at a wedding. That’s just because it’s more affordable to the couple.

I mean most people like chicken to begin with and there are many different ways to dress it up too.

Typically, in the wedding industry, prime rib, surf and turf, filet (or any of the finer cuts of beef), lobster, and crab dishes are some of the more expensive options, just as they are at your local restaurant -Tommy Waters owner of The Renaissance, a wedding venue in Virginia.

The other factor is delivering all that food, even piping hot to your wedding.

Many times that will also include the dining plates, utensils, napkins and of course setting everything up too with their own staff.

Most wedding venues are going to have some sort of area where they can prep the wedding dinner, but most will not let you cook on site and that simply costs money.

Having to cook everything at the facility, package it for transport and set everything up takes time and that costs money.

How can We Save Money at the Wedding Reception Dinner?

Speaking with Tommy, he suggests working with your catering company on alternative measures to help save costs.

For example, if crab is a must, you could consider back-fin crab-meat versus jumbo lump crab, which will be less expensive. A sous vide Eye of the Round will result in a medium rare cut of beef resembling tenderloin at half the price. -Tommy Waters

When it comes to cakes, you can save money by purchasing wedding cupcakes or having a ‘fake’ layered cake where the top is real and sheet cakes are baked, sliced and served.

Another key is to scale back your bar budget.

Do you really need a full open bar at the wedding reception?

The easy answer is no, you really don’t.

In fact, most couples opt for something simple, like beer or beer and wine of a limited menu.

In the United States, when it comes to alcohol, Americans have about 50% of wedding receptions with beer, 40% with wine and about 10% with various spirit’s.

Use this tool below to help figure out how much you should be purchasing for your own wedding reception.

Your Guest List Should be Based on This

Your guest list truly should be based on your wedding budget, not how many friends you have.

If you don’t know your overall wedding budget (and you should by now), use this tool to help.

Hey, we get it, you want to have a lavish, over-the-top celebration of your wedding, a new marriage coming together!

But that doesn’t mean you should invite every single co-worker that you barely spend time with or all 1,200 of your social media friends too!

You SHOULD invite the following:

• Immediate family (moms, dads, brothers and sisters)

• Distance family you are connected with (aunt’s, uncles, cousins, niece’s and nephews)

• Grandparents and Great Grandparents if you have them

• Close friends you socialize with on a regular

Rules about Your Guest List and Who to Invite

Listen, we understand that you want everyone to share in the wedding, but truthfully you don’t need to invite all that you know.

We found some great rules on who you should and shouldn’t invite.

Rule 1: If neither of you has spoken to or met them or heard their name before, don't invite them.

Rule 2: Not crazy about inviting children to your party? Don't feel bad about having an adults-only wedding.

Rule 3: If neither of you has spoken to them in three years and they're not related to you, don't invite them.

Rule 4: If there's anyone who's on the list because you feel guilty about leaving them off (maybe because you were invited to their wedding or they're friends with lots of people who are invited), don't invite them.

What do you guys think is the right number of wedding guests you should have? Drop a comment in the box below and you’ll be entered to win a Coach wristlet April 15th valued at $85 USD.