Your guest numbers and dietary needs in, the counts a caterer asks for out. The few rates that are guesses are labelled as our estimate.
| Adult mealsEveryone over the children's menu age | 80 |
| Of which meat or fishAdult meals that are not vegetarian or vegan | 67 |
| Of which vegetarian | 10 |
| Of which vegan | 3 |
| Children's meals | 6 |
| Supplier mealsUsually a simpler hot meal, served away from guests | 3 |
| High chairs | 1 |
| CanapésFor adults at the drinks reception (our estimate) | 480 |
| Evening food portionsFor everyone there in the evening who eats (our estimate) | 101 |
| Cake portionsOne for everyone there in the evening | 126 |
| Other needs to confirm by nameAllergies and anything else, checked guest by guest | 4 |
The meal counts are your own numbers added up. Canapés, evening food and who eats in the evening are our estimates; your caterer will have their own and they win.
Kismet counts this for you from your guests' replies and meal choices, and prints a caterer's list with dietary needs beside each name.
Start your guest list freeMost of this is your own numbers added up. Adult meals are everyone on the adult menu; vegetarian and vegan meals come out of that number, not on top of it. Children's meals and supplier meals are separate lines, because they are usually priced separately.
Three numbers are estimates, and they are labelled: four canapés a person for each hour of the drinks reception, 80% of the evening crowd eating evening food, and a cake portion for everyone there in the evening. Caterers have their own rules for each, so treat ours as a first guess to check with them.
The number that matters most is the one you can only get from replies. If invitations are not out yet, the RSVP calculator gives you a range to plan around, and the wedding cost calculator turns it into a budget.
Most caterers ask for final numbers one to two weeks before the day, and some want meal choices sooner. Check your contract: it will say the date, and whether you pay for the number you gave even if fewer come.
There is no rule, but it is usual in the UK to feed anyone working the whole day, such as the photographer, videographer and band or DJ. Many contracts say so. Ask your caterer for a supplier meal, which usually costs less than a guest's.
Yes. A vegan meal is not just the vegetarian one: it has no dairy or egg either. Give the caterer each number, then the names of anyone with an allergy, because an allergy needs checking person by person.
Not everyone eats in the evening, especially day guests who had a full meal. Our starting estimate is 80% of everyone there in the evening. Your caterer will have their own rule; use theirs.
Usually yes: the cake is often cut in the evening and served with the evening food or as people leave. The calculator gives a portion to everyone there in the evening.