Whether it's a wedding, birthday bash, or any shindig, one thing's clear: the guest list is your golden ticket. Joy doesn't require you to create your guest list together before the RSVPs roll in. Yep, you read that right! When guests RSVP by typing in their names, they'll populate your Guest List, saving you precious time.
But hold on to your party hats because here's the scoop: There are some benefits to populating your guest list and grouping them before those RSVPs start rolling in. You see, some Joy pros like to live on the wild side. They skip the Guest List and forget about grouping guests into parties like couples and/or families. They don't even turn on the "Allow Any Guest to Add +1s" setting, found in the Settings tab on the Manage RSVP page.
Okay, but…what’s the problem?
There is a potential problem that can occur with this setup if you’re expecting guests to be able to add their plus one(s) or RSVP for their families. Let’s break down a couple of head-scratching user scenarios.
Scenario 1 - You didn't add names to the guest list and you didn't allow plus ones
Imagine this: You're on a mission to invite your buddy Michael Scott to your epic wedding. You whip out your phone, thinking, "This will be as easy as pie!" After all, you had a heart-to-heart with him about bringing his girlfriend, so it's a done deal, right?
You fire off a text with a link to your site like a sharpshooter, and Michael, in all his glory, receives it. He's excited, clicks the link, and finds the RSVP button but hold on to your hats, folks, because here's where it gets weird. Michael is prompted to enter his name, no problem there. But when it comes to his girlfriend, well, that's a different story. There is no option. It's like trying to fit a giraffe in a Mini Cooper – not gonna happen!
Michael rolls with it, answering all the RSVP questions and hoping for a magical "plus one" section at the end. Spoiler alert: It's not there! So, he submits his RSVP for himself, but now he's puzzled. He has to reach out to you, and it's like watching Dwight try to figure out one of Jim's pranks.
Because the Guest List was not populated, and Michael wasn't grouped with Holly, he was only able to respond for himself because:
He wasn’t able to view any other guests he was grouped with on the Guest List
He wasn’t able to add a guest to his RSVP since the “Allow Any Guest to Add +1s” feature was turned off
Now, let’s explore how Michaels’s RSVP experience would have improved if you populated and grouped your guests...
Option 1: Group Michael with his plus one on the guest list
Michael Scott and Holly Flax are added to the Guest List and paired like the dynamic duo they are (this is for if you know the names of the couples/family members).
Michael receives your text, visits your site, and spots the RSVP. He proceeds to enter his name and voila! There are two options on the RSVP form, ready for him to respond for both himself and his partner-in-crime, Holly.
Michael confidently RSVPs for himself and Holly, then submits the RSVP:
Option 2: Give Michael the option to add his own plus one
Michael Scott is added to the Guest List with a blank "plus one"(this is handy if you don't know the names of the plus ones/family members).
After Michael tracks down the RSVP button on your site and enters his name. Ta-da! He's ushered to an RSVP form that graciously lists his name as the star of the show and introduces "Guest #2": Michael takes a creative liberty and adds Holly as his guest, typing away like a maestro. Since he was granted a plus one (and because the names weren't pre-listed on the Guest List), he's free to give his plus one any name that tickles his fancy. Michael's now all set to respond for himself and his trusty plus one.
Holly's name populates on your guest list and is grouped with Michael:
Verdict? It's clear that by meticulously populating the Guest List and bringing the right couples and buddies together, you're the event planner who saves the day, preventing any RSVP-related fiascos.
Learn all about grouping your guests here.
Scenario 2 - You add all guests to your guest list, but don't group them
Imagine adding your friend, Angela Martin, to the guest list but leaving her partner, Dwight, hanging solo, even though you're well aware they're a package deal.
And just for an extra layer of fun, you haven't enabled the "Allow Any Guest to Add +1s" setting, even though you know Angela will be RSVPing for Dwight. Now, Angela opens her eCard from Joy, and it's a one-person show with just her name in the spotlight.
When Angela RSVPs for your event, she can only respond for herself, and Dwight is left in the digital dust.
Let's consider how Angela's RSVP experience could have been improved if you had grouped your guests...
Angela and Dwight, are grouped on your guest list like the power couple they are.
Behold, both Angela and Dwight's names shining on the eCard via Joy:
Angela can now easily respond for Dwight on the RSVP form:
The Verdict? By simply grouping your guests, you're turning your event planning into a seamless comedy act, saving your guests and yourself from a wild RSVP rollercoaster.
The Simple Benefits of Populating and Grouping Your Guests on the Guest List
You can totally send out invites on Joy without populating your Guest List first. But let's review the cool perks you see when you do populate your guest list and group your guests
Tailored RSVP Forms: With a filled-up Guest List, your guests get personalized RSVP forms. If they're rolling in with a crew, it'll either show their names (if you've added them) or let them do the honors.
Supercharged eCards: Everyone is addressed on the eCards so there is no guessing who is invited. First to open that email invite? They're the RSVP boss! They can RSVP for the whole gang in one go. Efficiency level: expert.
But hey, if you're feeling rebellious and don't want to group your guests, you have some options.
Unlimited Plus Ones: Let guests RSVP for up to 20 plus ones. Great for mystery dates or surprise tag-along.
Plus Ones Galore: Toggle on "Allow Any Guest to Add +1s" and watch the RSVP floodgates open. No limits, just pure party power!
Thanks for sticking with us during this novel. We know it's a lot, but the bottom line is your Guest List sets the RSVP tone. Groups or solo acts? It's your call. By fine-tuning these settings, you're making RSVPs a breeze for your guests. 🎉
Still have some questions?
Ask us directly! Click on the black and white chat bubble in the bottom-right corner of this page to ask us your questions, or you can email us at support@withjoy.com. You’ll get a friendly response from someone on our team! 🙂