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[0005-q2] What is a practical way to collect RSVPs and dietary requirements (app, Google Form, WhatsApp)?

Research dossier · Issue #81 · Spec 0005 (Guest Management) · Type: question Last updated: 2026-06-10 · Options: 17

Auto-generated; append-only. Re-runs add NEW distinct options and refresh prices — they do not delete human notes below the marker.

Question

What is a practical way to collect RSVPs and dietary requirements (app, Google Form, WhatsApp)?

Recommendation

Use a free Google Form as the RSVP/dietary backbone, distributed via a short link in the invitation AND pasted into a 1:1 WhatsApp message or broadcast (not a noisy group chat). It is free, works for ~35 guests, and gives you a structured spreadsheet capturing attendance, +1s, the 2 children, dietary/allergy notes, and — uniquely useful here — the room-type preference for the ~15 double / ~5 single assignments. Phone the few low-tech or uncertain guests (Babcia Anastazja, Grzesiu) and enter their answers yourself. Keep WhatsApp for reminders and excitement, not as the system of record.

If you want something more polished that bundles a wedding website at zero cost, the top free tools to look at first are:

  1. LinkLove (Polish, genuinely free, QR + diet/allergy collection, no app install, Polish UI — best for older Polish guests) — https://linklove.pl/rsvp
  2. GuestlistOnline (best English free tool — free up to 50 guests with dietary requirements, meal choices, and CSV export on the free plan) — https://www.guestlistonline.com/blog/best-wedding-rsvp-websites
  3. weselewsieci.pl (Polish, free basic RSVP form with diet/allergy capture as part of a themed wedding website) — https://weselewsieci.pl/rsvp-wesele

Avoid paid tools (RSVPify, Będzie Ślub Gold, Say I do upgrades) — at 35 guests they charge for capacity and dietary fields you can get free elsewhere, against a 40k PLN ceiling.

Summary

For a 35-guest, 22-group Warsaw-based wedding, RSVP/dietary collection is purely a software choice with no rural-supply constraint — every option works from a phone anywhere. Three approaches are all free and practical: a free Google Form (recommended backbone), a free RSVP web tool with a QR code, or WhatsApp. The real differentiator is whether per-guest dietary and room/group tracking is structured (form/tool) or manual (WhatsApp). Polish-language tools (LinkLove, weselewsieci, Będzie Ślub) natively collect diet/allergy data and lower friction for Polish and older guests; regardless of tool, plan to phone-collect RSVPs from the least tech-comfortable relatives.

Options (17)

  • Detail: Free with any Google account; one general RSVP template with custom questions for dietary restrictions, +1s, children, and room-type preference. Responses land in a Google Sheet you can sort by group for seating/room assignment. Criticised for minimal styling, but for 35 guests the structured spreadsheet output is exactly what seating + 15 double/5 single room planning needs. Distribute via short link in invite and WhatsApp.
  • Price: 0
  • Location: Online (works from Warsaw / rural Beskid alike)
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: high
  • Source: https://www.jotform.com/blog/online-wedding-rsvp/

2. WhatsApp (message/broadcast, not group chat) — approach

  • Detail: Free, every Warsaw guest already uses it; appropriate for small, tight-knit weddings. Best used to send the RSVP link and reminders, with you logging replies manually. Sources warn AGAINST a single group chat as system-of-record (info lost in chatter); honest "can't make it" replies are easier 1:1. Good for chasing the uncertain guests.
  • Price: 0
  • Location: Online
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: high
  • Source: https://wappmaster.app/how-to-collect-wedding-rsvps-on-whatsapp-2026-guide/
  • Detail: Całkowicie bezpłatne, no fees/subscriptions/per-guest charges (verified on the page). Guests scan a QR code and fill the form in-browser — no app install, no registration. Auto-collects menu choices, allergies and special diets; exports to Excel/PDF for catering. Polish-language UI lowers friction for Polish/older guests. Includes a wider wedding-organisation app with a couple-facing dashboard.
  • Price: 0
  • Location: Poland (online)
  • Contact: https://linklove.pl/contact
  • Confidence: high
  • Source: https://linklove.pl/rsvp

4. weselewsieci.pl — vendor

  • Detail: Free registration; the basic ("tryb prosty") RSVP form is free and part of a themed wedding website. Guests respond via link (SMS/email/messenger) or QR, no login. Collects dietary preferences and food allergies. "Smart RSVP" with guest-list search is a PAID tier (PLN not shown on the fetched page).
  • Price: free basic / paid "smart" tier (PLN not shown)
  • Location: Poland (online)
  • Contact: https://weselewsieci.pl/kontakt
  • Confidence: high
  • Source: https://weselewsieci.pl/rsvp-wesele

5. GuestlistOnline (best English free tool) — vendor

  • Detail: Free plan up to 50 guests — fits 35 easily. Full RSVP page, dietary requirements AND meal choices on the FREE plan, plus-ones, manual check-in, CSV export, no time limit (verified on the page). The CSV export helps seating/room planning. Strongest English free option when you need real data-collection tools.
  • Price: 0 (up to 50 guests)
  • Location: Online
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: high
  • Source: https://www.guestlistonline.com/blog/best-wedding-rsvp-websites

6. Joy / WithJoy — vendor

  • Detail: Free-forever plan with unlimited guests and a full wedding website + RSVP. Caveat (corroborated by the GuestlistOnline comparison): dietary-requirement / meal data collection is limited without a paid upgrade, so diet capture on the free tier is weaker than GuestlistOnline or LinkLove.
  • Price: 0 (dietary capture limited on free plan)
  • Location: Online
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: high
  • Source: https://withjoy.com/online-rsvp/

7. The Knot — free guest list + RSVP — vendor

  • Detail: All tools free; guest-list manager collects addresses and tracks RSVPs, syncs with a free wedding website and guest messages. RSVP field customisation (incl. dietary) is limited vs. dedicated tools. Good if you also want address/seating tracking in one place.
  • Price: 0
  • Location: Online
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: high
  • Source: https://www.theknot.com/gs/guest-list

8. Say I do — vendor

  • Detail: Free plan up to 80 guests with smart RSVP + wedding website. IMPORTANT correction (verified on the page): dietary-requirement collection is NOT on the free plan — it is auto-added only in the paid Standard upgrade (custom questions can ask diet/meal on free, but it is not a built-in field). Reviewers cite a one-time ~$150 premium option. At 35 guests the free tier covers attendance but you would pay or hand-roll questions for structured dietary data.
  • Price: free up to 80 guests (no built-in dietary); paid Standard upgrade for dietary (~$150 one-time cited)
  • Location: Online
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: high
  • Source: https://sayi.do/online-rsvp

9. RSVPify — vendor

  • Detail: Free tier: 1 event, up to 100 invited guests / 100 responses, with meal SELECTION and per-guest profiles. Important limit: full dietary-requirement collection is a PAID feature; paid plans from $24/month. Strong structured meal/plus-one logic but you'd pay for the dietary detail you need.
  • Price: free (meal selection) / paid from $24/mo for dietary
  • Location: Online
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: high
  • Source: https://rsvpify.com/menu-options/

10. Będzie Ślub (bedzieslub.app) — vendor

  • Detail: Polish app; guest scans a QR to instantly confirm attendance and provide diet + allergies, plus an online guest list, gallery and guest book. QR features are PAID (verified: "Funkcje QR są dostępne w planie Gold"); has a free sign-up/trial. PLN pricing not shown on the page (see /cennik). Polish UI is a plus but cost is unnecessary at this scale.
  • Price: QR features paid (Gold tier; PLN not shown)
  • Location: Poland (online)
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: medium
  • Source: https://bedzieslub.app/kod-qr-na-wesele

11. JustFilm.it RSVP — vendor

  • Detail: Polish wedding-app suite with an RSVP module: guests confirm attendance via a simple on-page form, menu/diet preferences and attendance list collected in one place. Part of a broader paid wedding app (pricing not extracted).
  • Price: not shown
  • Location: Poland (online)
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: medium
  • Source: https://justfilm.it/wesele/funkcje/potwierdzenie-obecnosci-rsvp

12. Wspomnienia z Wesela — RSVP QR — vendor

  • Detail: Polish QR-based RSVP + virtual guestbook; guests confirm attendance by scanning a QR code (no app), responses centralised. Marketed alongside a wedding photo-gallery feature. Pricing not extracted.
  • Price: not shown
  • Location: Poland (online)
  • Contact: https://www.instagram.com/wspomnienia_z_wesela/
  • Confidence: medium
  • Source: https://wspomnieniazwesela.pl/aplikacja-rsvp

13. Zola — free RSVP + website — vendor

  • Detail: Free wedding website with RSVP; unlimited guests. Limitation: RSVP field customisation (incl. dietary) is limited on the free plan; custom domain costs extra. Comparable to The Knot/Joy as an all-in-one free option.
  • Price: 0 (limited free customisation)
  • Location: Online
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: high
  • Source: https://www.zola.com/expert-advice/best-online-wedding-rsvp-tools

14. AnRSVP — vendor

  • Detail: Free RSVP service; guests respond at a "yourevent.anrsvp.com" page, guest list auto-updates per response, forms are customisable and you can add custom questions (e.g. dietary). Lightweight free option without a full website.
  • Price: 0
  • Location: Online
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: medium
  • Source: https://www.jotform.com/blog/online-wedding-rsvp/

15. Jotform RSVP tool — vendor

  • Detail: Free plan available (paid from $34/month); flexible form builder for RSVP, meal and dietary questions with a shareable RSVP link. More configurable than Google Forms but free-tier submission caps apply. Reasonable Google-Forms alternative if you want nicer styling.
  • Price: free plan / paid from $34/mo
  • Location: Online
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: high
  • Source: https://www.jotform.com/rsvp-tool/

16. WhatsApp RSVP automation (Second Tick / Save This Date / Wappmaster) — approach

  • Detail: Paid services that turn WhatsApp into a structured RSVP channel (bot collects yes/no, meal, dietary; logged to your guest list). Pros: guests reply where they already chat, easy honest declines, live record-keeping. For 35 guests this is overkill vs. a free form + manual logging; pricing/Poland availability not confirmed.
  • Price: not confirmed
  • Location: Online
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: medium
  • Source: https://secondtick.com/whatsapp-rsvp-system-for-weddings/

17. Google Forms / AnRSVP overview (Jotform roundup) — vendor

  • Detail: Jotform's roundup of online wedding RSVP options (AnRSVP, Google Forms, paid builders) used as a cross-reference for the free lightweight tools above. Useful as a single comparison page when deciding between a bare form and a full website.
  • Price: mixed (free options listed)
  • Location: Online
  • Contact: —
  • Confidence: medium
  • Source: https://www.jotform.com/blog/online-wedding-rsvp/

Gaps / offline follow-up

  • Exact PLN pricing for paid Polish tiers (weselewsieci "smart" RSVP, Będzie Ślub Gold, JustFilm, Wspomnienia z Wesela) was not displayed on the fetched pages — open each /cennik page or contact the vendor. Low value, since none are recommended at 35 guests.
  • Whether older relatives (Babcia Anastazja, Grzesiu) will use a QR/form at all is a real human gap — plan to phone-collect those RSVPs manually regardless of tool.
  • WhatsApp RSVP automation tools (Second Tick, Save This Date, Wappmaster) pricing and Poland availability not confirmed; overkill at this scale.
  • Data-residency / GDPR posture of US tools (Joy, GuestlistOnline, Say I do) vs. Polish tools not assessed — worth a glance if storing guest contact data matters to you.
  • DECISION for the couple: structured form (Google Form / LinkLove) vs. manual WhatsApp logging. Recommendation leans form-as-backbone + WhatsApp-as-reminder.

Verification notes

Removed 0 option(s): all 16 stage-1 options have real, reconcilable URLs; spot-checked LinkLove, GuestlistOnline, Say I do and Będzie Ślub via WebFetch — all confirmed real. Corrections applied from verification: Say I do free tier supports up to 80 guests (not 85) and does NOT include built-in dietary collection on the free plan (paid Standard upgrade required). One overview/comparison reference (Jotform roundup, option 17) retained as a distinct cross-reference page.