Guests

Import your guest list from The Knot, Zola or Joy

Updated October 14, 2026

In short

Export your guest list as a CSV from The Knot, Zola or Joy on a computer, then go to Guests, click Import, choose Upload CSV and pick the file. We match the columns, including Party as a household and RSVP answers. It's a one-time copy, not a live sync, so re-import or edit here when RSVPs change.

If your guest list lives on The Knot, Zola or Joy, you can bring it into Lovely Seating in a couple of minutes. Export a CSV from your wedding website, then upload it here. Your parties come across as households, and your RSVP answers come across as RSVP statuses.

It’s a copy, not a live connection

There’s no live sync with The Knot, Zola or Joy. The import copies your list as it is today. If more RSVPs come in later, update them here or import a fresh export. Guests already on your list are skipped, so only new names are added.

The steps

1
Open the import
Go to Guests, click Import and switch to Upload CSV.
2
Pick your platform
Under “Coming from another tool?”, click The Knot, Zola or Joy. The export steps for that site appear right there (they’re also below).
3
Export from your wedding website
Follow those steps on a computer and download the CSV.
4
Upload the file
Back in Lovely Seating, click Choose a CSV file and select the file.
5
Check and import
We match the columns for you. Check them, untick any rows you don’t want, then click Import.

How to export from each site

These are the steps the import window shows. Wedding websites change their menus from time to time, so if something has moved, look for an “export” or “download” option on your guest list page.

The Knot

Open The Knot on a computer and go to Guest List.
Click Download List → Entire Guest List. Choose “by individuals” so each guest is on their own row.
Upload the CSV in Lovely Seating.

The Knot sometimes leaves the meal column blank, so check meals after you import.

Zola

Open Zola on a computer. The export isn’t in the phone app.
Go to Guest List, open the “···” menu (top right) and export as CSV. If you want meal choices, use Track RSVPs → Export RSVPs instead.
Upload the CSV in Lovely Seating.

Zola may put each guest’s full name in one column. That’s fine: we split it into first and last name. A name like “Emily Brown + Guest” or “Emily Brown & Guest” comes in as Emily plus a linked plus-one.

Joy

Open Joy (withjoy.com) and go to your Guest List.
Click Export All Guests and download the CSV.
Upload the CSV in Lovely Seating.

Joy’s Tags column is matched to Group.

What comes across

Names, email and phone.
Party → Household. Everyone in a party is kept at the same table by Auto-Seat. See households and couples.
RSVP answers. Yes, Accepted and Will attend become Attending. No, Regrets and Will not attend become Declined. Pending and No response become Awaiting.
Meal and dietary columns, when your export includes them.

Anything we don’t recognise is left out, but you can still map it by hand: pick the right column in any field’s dropdown before importing. For a full list of fields, see import a CSV or paste a list.

Then let Auto-Seat do the first pass

After the import you’ll be offered Auto-seat guests. It seats the guests you just imported who don’t have a table yet, whatever their RSVP, and leaves out anyone marked Declined. Add your tables first. See how Auto-Seat works.

Want guests to find their table from your wedding website? Find Your Seat can be embedded on many sites, but note that Zola and The Knot block embeds. See embed it on your wedding website.

Frequently asked questions

Can I connect my Knot, Zola or Joy account so RSVPs update automatically?

No. There's no live connection with those sites. You export a CSV there and import it here. When new RSVPs arrive, update them in Lovely Seating or import a fresh export.

If I import a newer export, will everyone be added twice?

No. Guests whose first and last name already match someone on your list are marked In list and skipped. Only new names are added. Existing guests aren't updated, so change their RSVPs here.

Can I export from the phone app?

Zola's export isn't in its phone app. Use a computer for the export, then upload the file to Lovely Seating.

My meal choices didn't come across. Why?

The Knot sometimes leaves the meal column blank, and Zola keeps meals in its RSVP export (Track RSVPs → Export RSVPs). Re-importing won't update guests who are already on your list, so add the meals here. Bulk edit makes that quick.

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