BY THE WEDLEY TEAM · PRACTICAL PLANNING GUIDANCE · UPDATED
The short answer
Build the catering count from individual people attending the meal, not the number of invitations or household replies. Confirm with the caterer how children, suppliers and staff should be counted, and which final deadline applies to your agreement.
Agree what each total means
A ceremony attendance total may differ from a seated meal total and an evening food total. Keep those numbers labelled. Ask the caterer which groups need meals and whether different menus or quantities apply.
Do not infer an adult meal from a guest’s age or a supplier meal from their presence. Establish the actual arrangements with the people concerned and the caterer.
Reconcile names before totals
In a fictional example, 60 people are confirmed for dinner: 45 have selected menu A, 12 menu B and three have not chosen. You have 60 attendees but only 57 menu choices. Reporting “60 meals confirmed” hides the outstanding decision.
Keep dietary requirements alongside, not instead of, the chosen meal. One guest can both choose menu A and have a requirement to discuss. Avoid counting those as two separate guests.
| Check | Example |
|---|---|
| Confirmed dinner guests | 60 |
| Menu A selections | 45 |
| Menu B selections | 12 |
| Meal choices still outstanding | 3 |
| Dietary follow-ups | Separate named actions; not extra guests. |
Ask for explicit confirmation
Share the minimum guest information the caterer needs through an agreed channel. Ask them to confirm receipt, menu allocations and how they will handle individual requirements. A note in an RSVP form is not an assessment of allergens or a guarantee of safe preparation.
Where a guest has a significant requirement, encourage direct clarification with the caterer. Do not reinterpret their words or substitute your own judgement about what is safe.
Check the final version together
Before sending the final brief, work through the same dated list with your partner.
- Only the relevant event’s attending guests are included.
- Children, supplier meals and other agreed categories are accounted for.
- Every required meal selection is present or clearly outstanding.
- Requirements have been confirmed with the caterer.
- Names and tables match the seating plan.
- Any late change has an owner and has been acknowledged.
Keep later changes visible
If a reply changes after the deadline, contact the caterer rather than assuming an edited list will be seen. Keep a dated note of what changed and what they accepted.
Wedley helps keep individual guest details and table assignments together. It does not replace catering safety procedures or submit a final count to your caterer for you. The starter kit includes a handover checklist you can adapt.