How many return gifts should you order for a wedding?

Every wedding family asks us the same question a week before the function: did we order enough? Here is the method we give them at our shop counter — it takes five minutes and saves a lot of last-minute panic.

Start from families, not invitations

Most South Indian weddings give one return gift per family, not per person. A family of four that arrives together usually leaves with one bag. So count invitations by household first, then add the guests who come on their own — colleagues, friends, neighbours.

• Close family who stay for both days: one bag per household, sometimes two if they help with the function.
• Families who come for the muhurtham only: one bag per household.
• Office friends and neighbours who come alone: one bag each.
• Priests, cooks, decorators and helpers: many families keep a separate set aside for them.

Then add a buffer

Guests bring guests. An uncle remembers a cousin who was not on the list. Someone asks for one more "for my mother who could not come". We suggest adding about 10% on top of your count. For a 300-family wedding, order around 330 bags.

Work out the budget

Use the calculator below. Put in your guest count, the buffer you want and the price per bag you are considering. Name printing is optional and adds ₹8 per bag for one side or ₹15 for both sides.

What things cost at our shop

Many families mix the two: PVC gift bags for the wider guest list and a printed jute bag for close family and elders. You can browse by budget on our under ₹59, under ₹89 and under ₹99 pages.

When to order

Ready-stock bags reach Bengaluru in 4–5 days. If you want names printed, allow a few extra days for design approval and printing — we confirm the exact date on WhatsApp before you pay. Ordering three to four weeks before the wedding keeps everyone calm.