Inviting

How to make a guest list and keep the overview

3 October 2026 · 2 min read

You make a guest list in three rounds: first everyone you could invite, then the list that fits your budget and your venue, and finally the list of who is really coming, with per guest the reply, a possible plus-one, the dietary needs and which part of the day they are invited to. You lose the overview when those three lists live in different places. Below is how to keep them in one list.

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Round 1: the long list

Write everyone down, without crossing out: family on both sides, friends, colleagues, neighbours, the people from the club. Do it together, each separately, and put the lists side by side. This round is about forgetting nobody, not about choosing.

Round 2: the real list

Now you choose, with three questions per name:

Would I still see this person in a year?
Would I miss them on the day itself?
Does the number fit the venue and the budget?

Round 2, continued: parts of the day

At a wedding not everyone has to come for the whole day. Note per guest on the list which part they are invited to: ceremony, reception, dinner, evening party. That way you know the numbers per part, and it is right on the invitation too.

Round 3: who is really coming

From the moment you send the invitation, you track per guest:

Whether the invitation was sent and opened.
The reply: coming, not coming, nothing heard yet.
With how many: a partner, children, a plus-one.
Dietary needs and allergies.
Practical: is the guest staying over, do they need transport.

One list instead of three

A spreadsheet works, as long as you type the replies into it yourself. A digital invitation does that for you: the guest replies in the invitation, and their answer, their plus-one and their dietary needs sit next to their name at once. At YourInvited that is the guest list in your studio, with the status per guest and an automatic reminder to whoever has not answered. With the RSVP dashboard, included free with every plan, you see the numbers, the dietary needs and the plus-ones in one overview.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage of the invited come?

Count on seventy to eighty percent for a wedding close to home, and less when many guests have to travel. So invite slightly more people than the venue strictly holds, but not many more: whoever cancels usually does so late.

May you refuse a plus-one?

Yes, if you do it consistently. A common rule: partners who live together or have been together long are invited, a casual date is not. Say clearly on the invitation who is invited, then you do not have to explain.

How do I keep a guest list for a company event?

The same, but per contact: name, company, role, who invited them, and the reply. A personal invitation link per guest makes it possible to see per contact whether they opened and replied.

Make your own invitation?

Pick a style, add your own text and photos and share one link. Starting is free; a paid style costs €4,99 or €7,99 once, per event.