RSVP management is really headcount integrity. Catering, badges, seating and budget all key off one number, and if that number lives in three places it is wrong in at least two. The goal is a single guest list everyone trusts.
One list, one status per guest
Every guest should have exactly one record with a clear status: invited, confirmed, declined, or waitlisted. The moment you are reconciling a spreadsheet against email replies against a form, you have already lost the count. Collect RSVPs straight into the guest list so the number updates itself.
Capture what you will actually need
Ask only for what changes an operational decision. Dietary requirements and allergens (because the kitchen needs them), plus-ones (because they double catering and seating), and accessibility needs. Do not ask twenty questions you will never read. Every extra field lowers your response rate.
Reminders are a sequence, not a nag
Most non-responses are not refusals, they are inbox burial. Plan a short sequence: the invite, one reminder to people who have not opened, and a final call before your headcount deadline. Stop messaging people once they have replied. Few things annoy a confirmed guest more than a fourth "please RSVP".
Plan for the no-show gap
Confirmed is not attended. Some share of yes will not walk through the door, and the rate depends entirely on your audience and whether the event is free. Do not guess a number off the internet, watch what your own events do over time and adjust catering and seating accordingly.
Event70 collects RSVPs from a public page straight into the guest list, with dietary and headcount tracking built in. See the platform or start free with your first event.