The answer for 100 guests
One hundred guests needs 10 tables of 10, 13 tables of 8, or 9 tables of 12. Round tables of 10 are the most common banqueting default and the reason 100 is such a convenient number to plan.
The arithmetic is simply the guest count divided by the seats per table, rounded up. What makes it go wrong is everything you forget to subtract or add first.
Tables = (guests − head table seats + spare seats) ÷ seats per table, rounded up.
Tables by guest count and table size
Round tables of 8
| Guests | Tables needed | Total seats | Spare seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 7 | 56 | 6 |
| 75 | 10 | 80 | 5 |
| 100 | 13 | 104 | 4 |
| 125 | 16 | 128 | 3 |
| 150 | 19 | 152 | 2 |
| 200 | 25 | 200 | 0 |
Round tables of 10
| Guests | Tables needed | Total seats | Spare seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 5 | 50 | 0 |
| 75 | 8 | 80 | 5 |
| 100 | 10 | 100 | 0 |
| 125 | 13 | 130 | 5 |
| 150 | 15 | 150 | 0 |
| 200 | 20 | 200 | 0 |
Round tables of 12
| Guests | Tables needed | Total seats | Spare seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 5 | 60 | 10 |
| 75 | 7 | 84 | 9 |
| 100 | 9 | 108 | 8 |
| 125 | 11 | 132 | 7 |
| 150 | 13 | 156 | 6 |
| 200 | 17 | 204 | 4 |
Look at the spare seats column before you choose. Ninety guests on tables of 8 gives you 12 tables and 6 empty chairs spread across the room; on tables of 10 it is 9 tables and no spares. Empty seats are more visible than couples expect, and venues charge for the table either way.
What changes the count
| Factor | Effect | What to do about it |
|---|---|---|
| Head or sweetheart table | Removes 2–12 people from the seating pool | Subtract those guests before dividing, or you will over-order a table |
| Long trestle tables instead of rounds | Seats 8–10 per 6ft trestle, and the count depends on whether you seat the ends | Confirm with the venue whether end seats are used; it changes capacity by roughly 10% |
| Guests who cannot be seated together | Can force an extra table regardless of the arithmetic | Build the seating plan by household before trusting the total |
| Wheelchair users or high chairs | A table of 10 becomes a table of 8 or 9 | Tell the venue early; it affects the floor plan, not just the seat count |
| Suppliers who need feeding | Photographer, videographer, band — often 2–6 people | Ask whether they are seated in the room or elsewhere; both are normal |
| Evening-only guests | Do not need a seat at the meal | Keep them out of the table count entirely |
| Room shape and dance floor | The venue capacity is often lower than the seat arithmetic | Ask for the seated capacity with a dance floor in, not the maximum capacity |
The mistake almost everyone makes
Planning the table count from the number invited rather than the number attending. Typical attendance is 75–85% of invitations for a local wedding and can fall to 55–65% for a destination one. A hundred invitations is very often 80 guests, which is 8 tables of 10 and not 10 — two tables of difference, with linen, centrepieces and service attached to each.
Set the table count provisionally at booking, then fix it after the RSVP deadline and before the venue's final numbers date. Those are two different dates, and the gap between them is the only window you have to change it.
Work it out with your own numbers
The calculator handles the head table, spare seats and non-standard table sizes.
Common questions
How many tables do you need for 100 wedding guests?
Ten tables of 10, thirteen tables of 8, or nine tables of 12. Tables of 10 are the usual banqueting default, which is why 100 divides so neatly.
How many people fit at a round wedding table?
Eight to twelve. A 5ft round seats 8 comfortably, a 5ft 6in round seats 10, and a 6ft round seats 12 if the place settings are tight. Ask the venue which size rounds they own rather than assuming.
Should you count the head table in the table count?
Subtract the people sitting at it from the guest total first, then divide. Counting them twice is the most common reason couples order one table too many.
How many guests actually attend from 100 invitations?
Usually 75–85 for a local wedding, and 55–65 for a destination one. Plan the table count from expected attendance, not invitations, and fix it only after the RSVP deadline.
Do evening guests need seats?
Not at the meal, so keep them out of the table count. They do change the venue capacity, the drinks estimate and the evening food count, so they belong in those numbers instead.