Guest list software, from the list to the door

What does guest list software do?

It replaces the spreadsheet that travels by email and the message thread where everyone replies in their own way. For each guest it keeps an email address, a status (invited, registered, waiting, present) and the emails they received, and it updates the list as replies come in.

It is not ticketing. Ticketing sells places to the public; guest list management is for people the host has chosen. The two meet at registration, but the needs differ: here you mostly need to know who has replied, who has not and who has arrived.

How do you keep a guest list without a spreadsheet?

You import an Excel file or paste addresses. Carton Blanc merges duplicates and leaves out people who unsubscribed from an earlier mailing, so the starting list is clean without you tidying it by hand.

A partner who invites their own members gets their own link, and registrations that arrive through it stay attached to them. That helps a club, a federation or an event run by several people, where each wants to see what their own contacts said.

How do you send invitations and track replies?

When you create the event (title, date, venue, capacity, programme, flyer), each email is drafted and dated relative to the event. You read them, adjust the wording and the sending date, then approve: nothing goes out without you.

Guests register on the event page without creating an account and get their confirmation straight away. The running total updates with every reply, so you always see where you stand.

How do you follow up with guests who have not replied?

The D−14 reminder goes only to guests who have not registered yet. It does not annoy those who already replied, and it carries a short message: the date, how many places are left, the link. Our guide to waiting lists and reminders covers the wording and the timing.

What happens when the event is full?

You enter the venue's capacity when you create the event. Once it is reached the page stops confirming: the next person goes on a waiting list and is told so, instead of receiving a “yes” you cannot honour. If a place frees up, you decide whether to call someone back.

How do you check guests in on the night?

The list opens on a phone. Someone at the door ticks off arrivals, and you know the number of people present at any moment. Two days later each group receives its message: one text for those who came, another for those who did not.

What happens to your guests' data?

The list is yours and you are responsible for it; Carton Blanc hosts it on your behalf, in the European Union, in Paris, and neither sells nor passes it on. Every email carries an unsubscribe link, and you can export the list to Excel at any time, subscribed or not. Our GDPR guide sets out what to tell the people you invite.

How much does Carton Blanc cost?

One event costs €49 incl. VAT, paid once, with no subscription. The subscription costs €99 incl. VAT a month with no commitment, or €990 incl. VAT a year. Either way, up to 1,000 guests per event. There is no free plan; flyers, however, are free as soon as your account is open.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need software for a list of twenty guests?

Not necessarily: a spreadsheet will do while you know everyone and they reply quickly. Software becomes useful when replies scatter, when you need to chase, or when the room has a fixed capacity.

Do guests have to create an account?

No. The guest fills in a form on the event page and gets a confirmation by email. Only the organiser has an account.

Can you import an existing list?

Yes, from an Excel file or by pasting addresses. Duplicates are merged.

Is Carton Blanc suitable for a paid event?

It handles invitations, registrations and check-in, but takes no payments. If the event is paid, payment happens outside Carton Blanc.