Guest List & RSVP Tracker: Build It by Household, Not by Person
One row per invitation, not per guest. That single decision prevents double-counted plus-ones, split seating, and a catering number nobody trusts.
Fields that belong in the sheet
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
Household_ID | Stable key even if a name is spelled two ways |
Invited_names | Exact names as they appear on the invitation |
Party_size_allowed | Caps plus-ones; prevents silent inflation |
Address / Email | For save-the-dates and follow-up |
A_list / B_list | Controls the second wave after declines |
Invite_sent, RSVP_due, Response | Yes / No / No response — never blank |
Attending_count | Drives the catering total |
Meal_choice, Dietary_notes | Send to caterer as a separate export |
Table_ID, Seat_note | Assigned only after RSVPs close |
Gift_thankyou_sent | Prevents the six-month scramble |
Formulas worth setting up on day one
Confirmed guests=SUMIF(Response,"Yes",Attending_count)Outstanding=COUNTIF(Response,"No response")Meal totals=COUNTIF(Meal_choice,"Vegetarian")and so onB-list release= ifConfirmed guests < target − 10, release the next batch
Rules to agree on before invitations go out
- Define "plus one" in one sentence and apply it uniformly — married/engaged partners, cohabiting partners, or nobody.
- Set an RSVP deadline 3–4 weeks before the catering final-count date, not on it.
- Decide the children policy and print it consistently across the invitation and website.
- Keep dietary notes as free text, meal choice as a fixed dropdown. Free text in both breaks the count.
Catering count is not the guest count
Add vendor meals, kids' meals, and a small buffer per your caterer's contract. Confirm which number they actually bill against.
The $17 kit includes the working tracker with these formulas, a caterer export tab and a seating view. Pair it with the budget sheet — guest count drives the largest line item.