Wedding guest list management

Manage every wedding guest in one organised list

Keep your whole wedding guest list in one place — add every guest once, with their practical details beside their seating information, and make changes without juggling multiple spreadsheets.

It becomes the single source of truth for your seating plan — update a guest once and your tables, seats and final charts stay in sync.

Free to start·No credit card required·Works in your browser

Unlimited guests
Free — no limits
No account needed
Start right away
Private by default
Never on guest charts
In your browser
Nothing to install

Keep every important guest detail organised

One record per guest

A single place everything else reads from — name, RSVP, meal, needs, plus-one and seat, no scattered tabs.

Search & filter quickly

Find guests by name, email, notes or meal, then narrow by RSVP, group, table, needs and more.

Update several at once

Select multiple guests to set an RSVP, assign a table, mark VIPs, or keep a household together.

Connected to the seating plan

Each guest’s table and exact seat show right from the list — no separate spreadsheet to reconcile.

Undo accidental changes

Delete a guest and undo it with one click — no rebuilding a record from memory.

How guest-list management works

Build your wedding guest list in four steps

  1. Step 1

    Add guests

    Enter guests with a short form, or import an existing list — paste from a spreadsheet or upload a CSV.
  2. Step 2

    Record details

    Add RSVP, group, meal, dietary and accessibility needs, plus-one, VIP and private notes — only what’s relevant.
  3. Step 3

    Search & organise

    Search, filter and sort your list, and switch to a “By table” or “By household” view whenever you need it.
  4. Step 4

    Assign seating

    Pick a table from the list, or continue into the visual floor plan for drag-and-drop table and exact-seat seating.
Complete records

Keep the whole guest record in one place

A wedding guest is more than a name on a chart. Their record holds the practical details that affect invitations, table capacity, meal service, accessibility and the final arrangement.

  • First & last name
  • Email & phone
  • Family or social group
  • RSVP status
  • Table & exact seat
  • Meal choice
  • Dietary notes
  • Accessibility notes
  • Structured seating needs
  • Linked plus-one
  • VIP status
  • Adult, child or infant
  • Side of the wedding
  • Private notes

The short form keeps entry manageable — open “More details” only when you need them.

Bring your list

Start from the list you already have

Already have a list in The Knot, Zola or Joy — or a spreadsheet? Move it over in minutes. Export a CSV from your platform (or paste straight from Excel or Google Sheets), then upload it — Lovely Seating maps your columns for you.

It recognises RSVP wording, links “+1” plus-ones to their host, and flags duplicates so you can review before anything is added — no manual clean-up, no re-typing.

Example: organising Olivia & James’s 126 guests

Fictional sample data, used to demonstrate the product.

Olivia and James are planning a reception for 126 guests — five family and friend groups, with linked plus-ones, a few dietary notes and a couple of accessibility needs.

They import their list from a spreadsheet, then update RSVPs as replies arrive — watching the running headcount of attending, maybe and declined — and filter for attending guests who still need a table. When one guest cancels, Olivia sets them to Declined and moves someone into the freed seat.

The guest list stays the working source for the whole seating plan — not another file to reconcile by hand.

Keep the organisation of a spreadsheet — connected to the seating plan

Spreadsheets are useful. The problem is they’re disconnected from the visual seating you actually hand to your venue.

Before

Separate planning files

  • Guest names in a spreadsheet
  • RSVPs in another column or file
  • Table assignments on a separate tab
  • A hand-drawn room layout
  • Final names retyped into a design
  • New copies re-sent to the planner or venue
With Lovely Seating

One connected guest record

  • Guest-list organisation & RSVP tracking
  • Meal and dietary details
  • Table and exact-seat assignments
  • A visual reception floor plan
  • Table-organised & A–Z guest lists
  • Guest-facing charts and place cards

Keep the guest information you already have — move it into a seating workflow built for weddings. Change a name, RSVP, table or seat once, and the rest of the plan uses the update.

Made for couples and wedding planners

For engaged couples

Build your first guest list without any planning or design experience. Start with names, add detail as your day takes shape, and watch your seating come together.

For wedding planners

Manage every client’s guests, needs and assignments from one organised workspace — and keep each list connected to a print-ready seating plan.

What to know about guest-list management

A table assignment isn’t always an exact seat

A table assignment places a guest at a particular table; an exact-seat assignment puts them in a specific chair. Lovely Seating supports both — informal receptions can stay at table level, while formal events can use exact seats.

A group is broader than a household

A guest group is a broad social category like “College Friends”. A household is people invited together — a couple, family, or guest and plus-one. Each guest has one primary group; households are handled separately.

Guest-list sorting has defined options

The guest list sorts by name, RSVP or table, with “By table” and “By household” grouping views. Surname and group ordering are available in the export guest-finder rather than the working list.

Private details stay private

Accessibility needs, dietary information and private notes belong to your planning record. They aren’t automatically printed on guest-facing charts.

Continue into the complete seating workflow

Wedding guest list management questions

Is my guest information private?

Yes. Private notes, dietary information and accessibility details are yours — they’re never printed on guest-facing charts. Your plan is saved privately in your browser by default, and syncs securely to your account when cloud sync is enabled.

How many guests can I add?

As many as you like. The free plan has no cap on guests or tables — you can build a complete wedding guest list for free.

Do I have to finish my guest list before I start seating?

No. It’s meant to be iterative — start with the names you have, seat who you can, and refine as RSVPs arrive. Your guest list and seating stay in sync, so early work is never wasted.

Can I import an existing guest list?

Yes. Paste from Excel or Google Sheets, or upload a CSV. The import maps your columns, recognises RSVP wording and plus-ones, and flags duplicates — with a confirmation step before anything is added.

Can I track plus-ones and who was invited together?

Yes. Link a plus-one to their host so they move together, and group a couple or family into a household that stays at one table.

Can I manage the guest list from my phone?

Yes. Lovely Seating runs in your browser and shows guests as mobile-friendly cards on smaller screens. A computer is better for broad table views and floor-plan work; a phone is handy for searching and quick RSVP updates.

Do I need an account to start?

No. You can start building a guest list right away in your browser — no account and no credit card required. Create a free account when you’d like your plans to sync across devices.

How much does it cost?

Building a full seating plan is free, with unlimited guests and tables. Paid plans add print-ready exports, sharing with a partner or planner, and multiple seating plans.

Building your guest list first? Read the full guide — How to Make a Wedding Guest List.

Bring every guest into one clear seating plan

Add your names, keep every detail organised, and start assigning tables — without juggling spreadsheet versions.

Build your guest list

Free to start · No credit card required · Unlimited guests on the Free plan