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·Unlimited guests
What can I track for each wedding guest?
One record per guest
A single place everything else reads from — name, RSVP, meal, needs, plus-one and seat. Use “Add a +1” from a guest’s menu (a name is optional); the +1 shares the host’s RSVP, group and household and shows a “+1” chip in the list.
Search & filter quickly
Find guests by name, email, notes or meal, then narrow by RSVP, group, table, meal or side — or show only guests with accessibility needs, dietary notes or missing contact details.
Update several at once
Shift-click to select a range, then set an RSVP, meal or side, assign a table, add to a group, 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 do I build a wedding guest list with seating?
Step 1
Add guests
Enter guests with a short form, or import an existing list — paste from a spreadsheet or upload a CSV.Step 2
Record details
Add RSVP, group, meal, dietary and accessibility needs, plus-one, VIP and private notes — only what’s relevant.Step 3
Search & organise
Search, filter and sort your list, and switch to a “By table” or “By household” view whenever you need it.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, then export a printable seating chart and matching place cards.
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. Couples and families share a household, which Auto-Seat keeps at one table — here’s how households work.
- 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 Meal column puts each guest’s choice in the list itself, and a running meal, age and side breakdown gives your caterer the numbers. More on RSVPs, meals and guest needs.
The short form keeps entry manageable — open “More details” only when you need them. To see how the list organises by household, side and RSVP, start from the wedding guest list template.
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. List too messy for columns? AI import reads families, groups and plus-ones from however it’s written, then seats everyone once you confirm.
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.
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
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.
How is this different from a wedding website guest list?
Wedding website platforms such as Joy and Zola collect RSVPs (and often mailing addresses) from guests through your website. Lovely Seating doesn’t do that — there’s no RSVP form for guests. It’s the list your seating runs on: import the CSV from your website platform or a spreadsheet, track RSVPs and meals as replies come in, and seat every guest on a floor plan.
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
Keep each client’s guests, needs and assignments connected to a print-ready seating plan. Pro covers one wedding, so for many clients there’s Agency ($79/month) with unlimited weddings.
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 — and most often a couple: 49% of households on Lovely Seating have two people. 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. With Pro you can invite your partner or planner to the same plan by private link.
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 to your account, visible only to you and the collaborators you invite.
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. For a messy list, AI import works out households, groups and plus-ones for you.
Can I track plus-ones and who was invited together?
Yes. Use “Add a +1” from a guest’s menu — the name is optional. The +1 shares the host’s RSVP, group and household, shows a “+1” chip in the list, and Auto-Seat keeps them at the host’s table. Group a couple or family into a household that stays at one table.
Can I manage the guest list from my phone?
Yes. The mobile guests screen shows guests as cards, with filters and quick RSVP and meal edits in native-feeling bottom sheets. There’s a mobile floor-plan editor too. It all runs in your phone’s browser — there’s no app to install.
Do I need an account to start?
Yes, a free account (email or Google) — no credit card. Your guest list and plans are saved to that account, so they’re there on any device.
How much does it cost?
Free covers 1 wedding with 1 seating plan and unlimited guests and tables. Pro is $39 one-time for 1 wedding with up to 5 seating plans, print-ready exports, place cards, Find Your Seat and collaboration. Wedding planners managing many clients use Agency at $79/month.
How is this different from a wedding website guest list?
Wedding website platforms like Joy and Zola collect RSVPs through your website. Lovely Seating doesn’t send RSVP forms — it’s where you track replies and meals and seat everyone. You can import the guest list CSV from those platforms.
Building your guest list first? Read the full guide — How to Make a Wedding Guest List.
From guest list to seating chart
- How to make a wedding seating chart The next step once your guest list is organised.
- Wedding seating chart etiquette Who sits where — family, exes, plus-ones and kids.
- Wedding seating chart templates Chart styles your guest list can turn into.
- Wedding table plan templates Your guests grouped table by table for the venue.
Bring every guest into one clear seating plan
Add your names, keep every detail organised, and start assigning tables — without juggling spreadsheet versions.
Free to start · No credit card required · Unlimited guests on the Free plan