ShaadiCount › Guide
Wedding catering headcount calculator
Enter how many people confirmed, how many said maybe and how many invited people have not replied. The calculator gives a likely headcount, a low–high range and the number of plates to order with your buffer, plus a veg / non-veg split.
Updated 8 Nov 2026 · by AppSage Infosystem Private Limited
Calculator
A worked example
A reception with 300 people confirmed, 60 maybe and 140 invited people who have not replied, using 90%, 50% and 30%: 300 × 0.9 = 270, 60 × 0.5 = 30 and 140 × 0.3 = 42, so the likely headcount is 342. With a 5% buffer the caterer prepares about 360 plates. If 60% of the people who answered chose veg, that is about 216 veg and 144 non-veg plates.
Now imagine you chase the 140 people who did not reply and 100 of them answer: the guess becomes a fact, the range narrows and the plate count is far more reliable. That is why chasing replies matters more than any formula.
Plan each function on its own: the Haldi or Mehndi may be half the size of the reception, and lunch and dinner counts differ. Children are usually counted separately by caterers, so ask how many of the people coming are kids.
How it calculates
Likely headcount = confirmed × yes share + maybe × maybe share + no-reply × no-reply share. The range moves each share down and up. Plates = likely headcount plus your buffer. Change the shares to match your family and city; they are planning assumptions, not facts.
Create your event: start with ₹99 for 25 invitations
Questions
Which shares should I use?
Start with 90% of confirmed, 50% of maybe and 30% of no-reply, then adjust using your own past events.
Should kids be counted as full plates?
Ask your caterer. Many count small children separately or at a lower rate, so ShaadiCount asks how many of the people coming are kids.
More guides
Not a wedding? Birthdays, pujas, store openings, seminars and office parties are on InviteCount.