Free template
Free wedding guest list template
A guest list spreadsheet with one row per guest and the columns every wedding needs: household, side, RSVP, meal, dietary needs, VIP, child, table and contact details. It opens in Excel, Google Sheets and Numbers, and imports into the Headtable seating chart app as it is.
- Free, no sign-up
- Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers
- Imports into Headtable
What's inside
The template comes with seven example guests. Replace them with yours, or download the blank version.
| First Name | Last Name | Household | Side | RSVP | Meal | Dietary | VIP | Child | Table | Notes | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret | Hale | Hale family | Bride | Yes | Beef | Yes | Grandmother, near the exit | |||||
| Robert | Hale | Hale family | Bride | Yes | Fish | Gluten-free | ||||||
| Ann | Lee | Lee family | Groom | Yes | Vegetarian | ann@example.com | ||||||
| Ben | Lee | Lee family | Groom | Yes | Chicken | Nut allergy | ||||||
| Mia | Lee | Lee family | Groom | Yes | Kids' meal | Yes | High chair | |||||
| Sam | Ortiz | College friends | Both | Pending | Plus-one? | |||||||
| Priya | Shah | College friends | Both | No |
What each column is for
- First Name, Last Name: one person per row.
- Household: the same name for everyone who lives together or comes as a family.
- Side: Bride, Groom or Both, or your own first names.
- RSVP: Yes, No or Pending.
- Meal: the entrée they chose, for the caterer.
- Dietary: allergies and needs, such as gluten-free.
- VIP: Yes for parents, grandparents and the wedding party.
- Child: Yes for a kids' meal or a high chair.
- Table: optional; leave it empty until you seat people.
- Notes, Email, Phone: anything else, and how to reach them.
How to fill in a wedding guest list
- Start with everyone you might invite. Each of you, and each set of parents, writes a list. Merge them and remove duplicates.
- Group people into households. Couples and families share a Household name, so they're invited together and seated together.
- Mark each guest's side. It helps you split the room fairly and balance the numbers on each side.
- Cut to your venue's capacity. Count the rows, then check your table count with the wedding table calculator.
- Track replies as they come in. Set RSVP to Yes or No and fill in meals and dietary needs. Filter on Pending to see who hasn't answered.
- Seat everyone. Once most replies are in, turn the list into a seating chart. See how to make a wedding seating chart.
From spreadsheet to seating chart
Headtable is a seating chart app for iPhone and iPad. Save the file to your phone or email it to yourself, then in Headtable open Guests, tap + and choose Import CSV file. Every column comes across: households stay together, sides color the seats, and meals and dietary needs show up per table for the caterer. Drag guests onto tables, or let Auto-arrange do a first pass and adjust.
- Free for your whole guest list and up to 50 seated guests
- Headtable Pro is a one-time purchase that seats everyone, with no subscription
- Also reads exports from Zola, The Knot, Joy, RSVPify, AllSeated/Prismm and Excel (.xlsx)
Turn the list into a seating chart.
Download on theApp StorePrinting by hand instead? Use the free printable seating chart templates.
FAQ
Guest list questions
Last updated November 11, 2026.
What should a wedding guest list include?
One row per guest with their first and last name, the household or group they belong to, whose side they're on, their RSVP, meal choice and any dietary needs. Add an email or phone number if you'll send invitations or seat messages, and a notes column for anything the venue should know, like a high chair or a wheelchair.
Should a couple be one row or two?
Two: one row per person, with the same household name on both. That way each person gets their own meal, RSVP and seat, and the household keeps them together. Children get their own rows too, marked in the Child column.
Can I use this template in Google Sheets or Numbers?
Yes. It's a CSV file, so it opens in Excel, Google Sheets (File, then Import) and Apple Numbers. Keep the first row as it is and add one guest per row.
How do I track RSVPs in the spreadsheet?
Use the RSVP column: Yes, No or Pending. Filter it to Pending to see who to chase, and count the Yes rows for your caterer. Headtable can also collect RSVPs online and fill the column in for you.
How do I turn the guest list into a seating chart?
Open the file in Headtable on iPhone or iPad (Guests, +, Import CSV file). Every column comes across, households stay together, and you can seat guests by dragging them onto tables or let Auto-arrange do a first pass. It's free for up to 50 seated guests.