The Best Way to Organize Your Guest List

In this blog post I will be explaining how to Organize your Wedding Guest List Spreadsheet. This post is not about creating the list that was covered in the post “Your Guest List”. You can read it here. This post is about organizing the list for actual use. I have been creating invitations and addressing envelopes for over 10 years now and I know that organizing your guest list is the smart couple’s way to go. The reasons go beyond the organization of the wedding itself.

I have seen good lists and bad lists and I have created a few different versions for my clients. Most people make this a lot harder than it has to be! Unless you are someone that loves manipulating spread sheets I advise keeping it simple. I would include all the information needed to  address invitations and track responses. The Guest List can also be used to list the table numbers once the seating arrangement has been worked out. I know that many couples have also used it for a running total on the number of guests attending.

Other Uses for Your Guest List

Many a bride has sent her Wedding Guest List off to not only have her invitation envelopes addressed but to family members or friends throwing the parties associated with the wedding. One bride thanked me for sending her a corrected copy of her list because it was used at her shower to record the gifts that each guest gave and it made sending out her thank you cards very easy. I know brides that have kept their list for years just amending the list when someone moves or there are other changes. Clients have used it to send Christmas Cards, Birth Announcements, and other invitations. If you make the time now it will come in handy later.

There’s Nothing Like Experience

I have set this up the way most couple’s have requested me to set up their list. The biggest request was their need to see the address so they could visualize it. Meaning, I have listed the Title, First Name, Last Name in order so that you can look across a row and visualize how it will read on the invitation envelope. You certainly could list Last Name first but I found that most people like being able to read the name exactly how it will appear when printed especially when they need to proofread their guest list. You can always use the move the columns later or use the sort function to alphabetize your list. The next thing I need to mention is a bit unusual but when you understand that as the person addressing the envelopes I need to know if we are adding “and guest” or “and family”. So again in keeping with request of needing to see it as it will appear on the envelope, my header row actually says “Last Name and Guest or Last Name and Family” as a reminder to add it in after the last name so it will print together on the envelope.

How to Create Your Own Guest List Spreadsheet

If you would like to set up your own Spreadsheet here are the instructions

1. Open up your spreadsheet program

2. Create a new spreadsheet

3. Label the columns by creating the following header row: Title, First Name, Last Name and Guest or Last Name and Family, Address Line 1, Address Line 2. City, State, Zip, # Invited, RSVP, Table No.

4. Format the Zip Code Column, click on format cell, special, then zip code (this prevents zip codes starting with zero from being a problem)

5. Go ahead and add all the additional columns you like. A few suggestions are Shower, Shower Gift, Wedding Gift.

6. Add any colors to the cells to make it easier to read or to help organize your list.

 

If you would rather just download mine, I am willing to share!

Click on the download below.