How to Create an RSVP Email for Invite List Members

Last updated: April 9, 2026

What This Does

This guide explains how to create an RSVP email in Zuddl that you can send to invite list members. By using merge tags in the email button URL, each recipient gets a personalized link that pre-fills their invite list member ID — so when they click the RSVP button, they land directly on your event page with their identity already recognized.

Note: This workflow requires an existing invite list with members already added to your event. If you haven't set up an invite list yet, do that first before creating the RSVP email.

Before You Begin

You must have Organizer or Admin access to the event.
An invite list must already be created and populated with members for the event.
The event must be published or have a valid event URL.

Steps

Open your event in the Zuddl dashboard.
Go to Communication from the left-hand navigation menu.
Click Create Email to start a new email.
Select the email type or start from a blank template.
Design your email content — add a subject line, body text, and any branding elements you need.
Add a Button element to the email body. This will serve as the RSVP call-to-action.
Set the button label to something like RSVP Now or Register Here.
In the button's URL field, enter the following merge tag URL:
```
{{eventHref}}?ilm_id={{inviteListMemberId}}
```
(Optional) Add a second Button element for declining the invitation. Set the label to something like Decline or Can't Make It.
In the decline button's URL field, enter the following merge tag:
```
{{rsvpDeclineLink}}
```
In the Recipients section, select Invite List as the audience for this email.
Choose the specific invite list you want to send the RSVP email to.
Preview the email to verify the button and layout look correct.
Click Send or Schedule to deliver the email to your invite list members.

Tip: Use the Send Test Email option to send yourself a preview before sending to the full invite list. This lets you verify the button link and email formatting.

How the Merge Tags Work

{{eventHref}} — Automatically resolves to your event's registration or landing page URL.
{{inviteListMemberId}} — Automatically resolves to each recipient's unique invite list member ID.
{{rsvpDeclineLink}} — Automatically resolves to a unique link that lets the recipient decline the invitation. When clicked, their invite list status is updated to declined without requiring any further action.

When the email is sent, Zuddl replaces these merge tags with actual values for each recipient. For example, a recipient's button URL might resolve to something like:

https://events.zuddl.com/your-event?ilm_id=abc123-def456

This means each invite list member gets a unique link that identifies them when they click through to RSVP.

What Happens Next

When an invite list member clicks the RSVP button in the email:

They are taken directly to the event page.
Their invite list member ID is passed via the ilm_id query parameter.
The registration form may pre-fill their details (such as name and email) based on their invite list record, depending on your flow configuration.
Once they complete registration, their status in the invite list is updated automatically.

When an invite list member clicks the Decline button in the email:

Their invite list status is automatically updated to Declined.
No registration form is shown — the decline is processed immediately.
This helps organizers track who will not be attending.

Notes

The merge tags {{eventHref}}, {{inviteListMemberId}}, and {{rsvpDeclineLink}} only work when the email is sent to an Invite List audience. They will not resolve correctly for other audience types.