Guest management
Free wedding guest list spreadsheet template
Published Updated 5 min read
Keep one row per guest, group people by household, and track a separate response for each wedding event. This free workbook includes 500 guest rows, three events you can rename, RSVP dropdowns, and an Overview sheet that totals each event. Download it without signing up, then open it in Excel or import the file into Google Sheets.
Your guest list, ready to fill in
Start with a welcome dinner, ceremony and reception, or rename the events for your celebration. Use the same workbook with your partner, family or planner.
- Two tabs: Overview for instructions and totals; Guest list for editable guest details.
- 500 guest rows with household, name, optional contact information and dietary notes.
- Three RSVP columns with Not invited, Pending, Attending, Declined and Maybe choices.
- Four fictional example guests show how it works. Clear their entries before adding your own list.
Free download. No email address or account required.
Set up your guest list in five minutes
- Open the workbook. Read the Overview tab first. The initial totals include four fictional example guests so you can see the formulas working.
- Clear the examples. Clear the sample guest entries on Guest list. Keep the headings and the formulas on Overview.
- Name your events. Rename the three event headings for your own schedule, such as Mehndi, Sangeet and Reception. The summary follows those event names.
- Add one person per row. Give each guest a name and a household label. Two people in one household still occupy two rows so headcounts count people.
- Record invitations and replies. Choose Pending when a guest is invited but has not replied. Choose Not invited for events they will not be asked to attend. Update each event separately as answers arrive.
Use the Excel template in Google Sheets
Download the XLSX file, upload it to your own Google Drive, and open it with Google Sheets. You can use File → Save as Google Sheets to create a native Google spreadsheet. This download is an Excel workbook; it is not a public Google Sheet containing anyone else’s guest data.
After importing, check the RSVP dropdowns and the example totals before entering your own guests. Then clear the fictional guest entries and share your private copy only with the people helping you plan. The workbook does not send messages or upload your guest details to Duva.
How the per-event headcounts work
Attending, Declined, Pending and Maybe are counted separately for each event. A blank row or a guest marked Not invited does not inflate the invited total. Keep Maybe separate from confirmed attendance when agreeing final numbers with your venue.
A household is a grouping label, not a headcount. If a couple and their child are invited, add three named rows with the same household. Record each person’s response, including a named placeholder for an invited plus-one whose name you do not know yet.
The summary uses COUNTIFS to count matching RSVP statuses only when a guest name is present. The formula below counts reception attendance in this workbook: names are in column B and reception responses in column G, on rows 7–506. Stay within those 500 prepared rows; extending the workbook also requires extending its formulas and dropdown ranges.
=COUNTIFS('Guest list'!$B$7:$B$506,"<>",'Guest list'!$G$7:$G$506,"Attending")Example: different guests at different events
Imagine Alex and Sam are invited to the ceremony and reception, but only Alex is invited to the welcome dinner. Put them on two rows under the same household. Mark Sam’s dinner as Not invited, then record each person’s ceremony and reception responses separately.
If Alex attends all three events and Sam attends the ceremony but declines the reception, the confirmed totals are one for dinner, two for the ceremony and one for the reception. One household does not mean one shared RSVP for every event.
When you want guests to submit their own RSVPs
This workbook records replies you enter yourself. It does not collect responses, send invitations or issue reminders. A separate form can collect replies, but you still need to reconcile those responses with the right guests and events.
Duva provides a guest-facing RSVP page and per-event guest lists. Invitations delivered by SMS or WhatsApp contain a link that opens the RSVP page in a browser; guests submit their responses there. Sending a free-text reply in the messaging app is not the same as submitting the RSVP form.
If you move your list into Duva, follow the import format shown in the dashboard and review the imported guests and event assignments. This planning workbook is not a one-click import file, and its recorded RSVP statuses are not automatically migrated. Your website and online RSVP are free; messaging requires the one-time $10 unlock.
Sources and review notes
Frequently asked questions
Is this wedding guest list template free?
Yes. Download the Excel workbook without an email address, account or payment. It includes 500 guest rows and totals for three events.
Can I use it in Google Sheets?
Yes, upload the downloaded XLSX file to your own Google Drive and open it in Google Sheets. Check the dropdowns and example totals after import, then clear the sample entries. No public Google Sheet or shared guest list is required.
How do I count attending guests?
Use the Attending count for the relevant event on Overview. It counts rows with a guest name and an Attending response for that event. Blank rows, Pending, Maybe, Declined and Not invited do not count as confirmed attendance.
Can I invite different guests to different events?
Yes. Each of the three events has its own RSVP column. Choose Not invited for excluded events and Pending for invitations awaiting a reply.
Does the spreadsheet send invitations or reminders?
No. It is a planning workbook that you update manually. Use an RSVP service such as Duva if you want guests to submit online responses and receive invitations through your chosen messaging channel.