Receiving event responses requires taking a few details into consideration: how many events will you have? Maybe just one: the wedding! But how about the rehearsal dinner, bridal luncheon, and so forth? Do you want a separate guest list for each one, so only those guests invited can see and respond to the event? Do you want to limit the number of seats each guest is allowed to RSVP for? WedShare's planning tools are more robust and far more full-featured than those you may have seen elsewhere, to account for any requirement.

There are two ways you can set your website up to receive RSVPs online:

• 1. Create and send your guests an e-Invitation using the e-Stationery Tool
  This will automatically create your Event and set up the necessary Guest Profiles, as well as provide a link on the e-Card for guests to go directly to the appropriate RSVP page. See the e-Stationery article for more.
• or 2. Use your Event and Guest Managers
  For more control and customization, you can manually create your event and add guests profiles. You can also edit events and guest profiles that you may have created by sending e-Stationery.

  Read on for more details on using your Guest and Event Managers:

Creating an Event

Click the Event Manager icon on your Dashboard main menu, or select "Planning Tools" => "Event Manager" from your Dashboard's top nav menu. Look for the Create Event field in the upper right with the label "New Event Name" in the field. Enter in the name for your new event, the date and time, and decide if you want to make it Public or Private. If it's public, all guests in your Guest Manager can view and respond to it. If private, only guests who you select will be able to see and respond to it (such as for a bridal shower or rehearsal). Continue to finish entering details; you can always come back to edit later.

Set Preferences

When editing your event in the Event Manager, click the Preferences link just beneath the event name to adjust your preferences, such as buttons and headers. Select Meals to set up menu options, and Reserve Seating to limit the number of seats reserved for each invited guest (guest profiles must be created for this).

For more advanced options, click the Settings tab in the upper right. This will let you fine-tune things like authentication options, if accompanying guests are allowed (or modifiable), and whether or not guests in groups can respond for their group members.

Do you want to create profiles for your guests, or let them create their own? Doing it yourself gives you control (and minimizes goof-ups), but can be time-consuming. To let guests create their own, make sure the "Allow new guests to add themselves" option is checked. It's checked by default.

Save your changes and if you're allowing guests to add themselves to a public event, you're all done, ready to accept RSVPs!

Create Guest Profies

If you aren't allowing your guests add themselves, you'll need to create profiles for them. You can do this for each guest manually, or by importing an Excel spreadsheet. To manage your guests, click the Guests tab from within the Event Manager. Or select "Planning Tools" => "Guest Manager" from your Dashboard's top nav menu.

Set Up Guest Lists For Private Events

If you have a private event and have created your guest profiles, you can now specify a guest list. Only guests on an event's guest list will be able to view and respond to the event. Go back to your Event Manager and click on the new event you created to edit it. In the bottom left, click the "Add Guests" button and select the guests for this event using the selector that appears.

Save your changes and you're all done, ready to receive RSVPs!

back to top