Guest List

I'm trying to get my guest lists organized and in one place. Right now I have mine, FH's, mom's, and FMIL's all on little scraps of paper. What is a good computer program to use to get the names and addresses organized and alphabetized? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I am so computer challenged, I pretty much use this website, check my email, and use Word, and that's it!

Re: Guest List

I like the one on theknot.com

You can download the information later into excel if you want to use excel or word to make your labels and such.

Re: Guest List

Excel is probably the easiest. It allows you to put things in columns and rearragne them to sort in any way. Send me a forum e-mail if you would like to see my list.

Re: Guest List

Oh, I didn't even think of that. What is the best way to do them now, so that when I have to address the envelopes, it will be easiest? If I put the addresses in Excel, then can I just print everything out on the envelopes from there? Or will I have to make all sorts of adjustments? I'm so confused and SOOO bad at anything computer related!

Re: Guest List

Fletch - You have forum mail! Thanks!

Re: Guest List

Fletch - make that 2

Re: Guest List

Helene: My FMIL will do the labels, but she set up the list in excel such that there were separate cells for each part of name and address. So you have a cell for MR/Ms/Mrs, a cell for name, another cell for street address/apt, another one for the city, one for state, and one for zip code. I believe she will then merge it somehow to createa label, but I don't know the specifics of that. Oh, and she also had # of people invited and # expected to come columns.

Re: Guest List

I used Excel. I had a column with the guest number so I could keep track of my numbers.
P.S.-You should not use labels on your invites- even the clear ones. Run the envelopes thru your printer instead. It looks a lot nicer. Labels scream Direct Mail piece, not formal invitation.

Re: Guest List

michele - Was it easy to print out the envelopes from the information you had in Excel or did you have to move things around?

Re: Guest List

helene, use excel -just make sure to use a separate column for each bit of information (title, first name, last name, address line 1, address line 2, etc..) - then you can import all the addresses in word as enveloped by doing a mail merge...then you just run the envelopes through the printer....they will look beautiful!

Re: Guest List

Ah ha! That's what I was getting at! I don't think I asked my question the right way though. Thanks dkga! SO, I should separate the address into line 1 and line 2 or do I do it by street, then town, then state, then zip (2 columns or 4?)?

Re: Guest List

This is sort of what I did:
Column A - #
Column B- Title
Column C-First Name
Column D last Name
Column E Guest Name
Column F Street Address
Column G City
Column H State
Column I Zip

Then I eventually used the same spreadsheet to track responses, gifts and thankyous.

I did a mail merge with Microsoft Word to print all my invitation envelopes. I also used the list to print labels for my Christmas cards and eventually my thank yous.

Using Excel you can sort the info any way you like and filter the data - to see all the yes's, no responses, etc. Let me know if you need help.

Re: Guest List

yes, do exactly as bridetobe described it...thats what i meant, i didn't do such a good job explaining it...

Re: Guest List

You can also use this information to generate your bridal shower list.

Re: Guest List

I use Excel for everything. It's a little pathetic. I have my guest list, budget, task list, etc. all in different files that I keep on a disk - which if I ever loose I am screwed. If you use Excel, you could sort alphabetically, or any way you want, and print labels from there, etc.

Re: Guest List

Girls - if you use Excel please back up your file. As a copmuter person I think that is teh best thing people can do...somehow at one point in my planning my Address file disappeared! Not sure if DH accidentally deleted it but anyhow..thank goodness I had a backup I kept in the office. I would have been lost with out the file.

dka-we have more and more in common as we chat on this site - are you leaving for the GTG soon?

Re: Guest List

Yah!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! One last question (for now!), I am going to do exactly what bridetobe has, but can I alphabetize by column D (last name)? And, can I add on extra columns later on for gifts and thank you's and whatever else I think of? Also, (ok, that's more than one question!) how do I get Excel to display all of the information? For example, if I put in '1111 Long Street Name Road', it doesn't all fit and the end gets cut off.

Re: Guest List

You can add/insert columns. Just click on the letters above the column (ABCD, etc), then right click and select insert from the menu.

You can adjust the width of the columns by double clicking on the line between two column headings (a line that separates A from B, on the row that has all the column letters)

Re: Guest List

Yes, you can alphabetize by any column you want. Use Data-Sort and pick any column you want to sort by.

Re: Guest List

Helene718-Forum mail me you email address and I can send you a sample of my spreadsheet, all set up so all you have to do is type the names and addresses. I am going to the GTG but can send it tomorrow!