Wedding and reception guest management with QR passes in Nepal

Wedding guest management with QR passes works like this: invited guests confirm through a private link, each person gets a QR pass on their phone, and someone at the entrance scans it so you always know how many guests have arrived. It is most useful for large receptions, mixed family-and-office guest lists and venues with a fixed capacity; for a small family ceremony, a printed list is often simpler and warmer.

When does QR guest entry make sense for a wedding?

QR entry helps when the guest list is too large for the family to recognise everyone, or when numbers really matter. It is a tool for organisation, not a replacement for hospitality.

It tends to help with:

• Large receptions where several hundred guests arrive within an hour or two.
• Mixed guest lists: relatives, colleagues, business contacts and friends who do not all know each other.
• Venue capacity limits at banquets and party palaces, where the hall or the kitchen can only handle so many people.
• Catering plans based on plate counts, where knowing real numbers saves money and food.
• Security concerns, such as uninvited guests at high-profile receptions.

It is usually overkill for:

• small family ceremonies at home;
• events where turning anyone away would be culturally awkward;
• guest lists where many guests have no smartphone or email address (one family member can still hold passes for others).

How does QR guest management work for a wedding?

The flow is the same as for any registered event, with a few wedding-specific choices.

1. Create the event with the date, time and venue name. Choose the wedding category.
2. Set ticket types for each group or function (see the table below), all free.
3. Make the ticket types hidden and create an unlock code to share with invited guests.
4. Share the link and code on the invitation card, by WhatsApp or Viber, or by phone.
5. Guests confirm with their name and email address, and add the names of family members coming with them.
6. Each guest receives a QR pass on screen and by email, which they can download, save or print.
7. On the day, scan passes at the entrance and watch the live count of guests inside.

How do you keep the guest list invite-only?

Be clear about what is public. On Eventlaya, a published event page is public and appears in the events listing; there is no private or unlisted event setting. What you can control is who is able to register.

To keep registration invite-only:

• Make every ticket type hidden. Hidden ticket types can only be booked with a code that unlocks them.
• Create an unlock-only promo code (no discount) and share it only with invited guests.
• Set a usage limit on the code close to your expected number of guests, and an expiry date shortly after the event.
• Use separate codes for each side or group if you want to know who confirmed through whom.
• Keep the page minimal: couple's names or the family name, date, time and venue. Never publish a home address, phone numbers of elderly relatives or children's details.

If even a public page with the venue and date is too much for your family, QR passes on this kind of platform are not the right fit; use a printed list instead.

How do families register several guests together?

In Nepal, invitations are usually for a family, not an individual. Group orders handle this well.

• One family member registers and chooses how many guests are coming.
• They can add each guest's name, so every pass carries a name.
• You set the maximum tickets per order (anything from 1 to 50), for example 6 for a typical family invitation.
• Each guest gets their own QR pass; the person who registered receives one email with all of them and can download them together.
• Older relatives do not need a phone: one family member can show all the family's passes, or print them.

How can QR passes help with catering and plate counts?

Caterers in Nepal usually plan and charge by the plate, so a reliable count matters. QR confirmations give you two useful numbers.

Not everyone who confirms will come, and some will bring an extra person, so agree a margin with your caterer. Ask your venue or caterer how they count plates and what the minimum guarantee is.

How do you handle several functions and guest groups?

Nepali weddings often have more than one function, and not every guest attends all of them. Use ticket types for groups and, if functions are on different days or at different venues, a separate event for each.

The gate note appears when a pass is scanned, so the person at the entrance knows where to guide each guest.

How do you run a calm entrance on the day?

The entrance sets the tone of the reception, so keep scanning quick and the welcome personal.

• Pair a scanner with a host. A volunteer scans while a family member greets guests by name.
• Use two or three phones for a large reception, each with its own staff login.
• Keep a separate lane for guests who forgot or lost their pass; they can find it by email, or register on the spot with the code because registration stays open while the event is live.
• Never turn away a relative over a phone problem. Decide in advance who can approve entry without a scan.
• Scan guests out, if you want to know how many are still inside for dinner service or the last bus.
• Watch for duplicates. If the same pass is scanned twice, the scanner flags it; handle it politely, since it is often an honest mistake.

Our guide to QR code tickets and gate check-in covers scanners, gates and slow mobile data in more detail.

When should you book and plan?

The main wedding seasons, around Mangsir and Magh–Falgun, are when banquets, party palaces, caterers, decorators and photographers book up first. Book the venue early, then set up the guest link when invitations go out. You can compare banquets and wedding vendors on the marketplace and read our guide to choosing event venues and banquet halls in Eastern Nepal. For the full timeline, use our event planning checklist for Nepal.

What does it cost?

At the time of writing, Eventlaya's free plan covers events up to 150 attendees, which fits many smaller receptions. Larger receptions need a paid plan; see pricing for current details. Ticket types for wedding guests are free, so guests never pay anything.

For what event software can and can't do beyond weddings, see event management software in Nepal: a complete guide.

Key takeaways

• Wedding guest management with QR passes suits large receptions, mixed guest lists and venues with capacity limits.
• On Eventlaya the event page is public, so keep registration invite-only with hidden ticket types and an unlock code.
• Families register together, with a name and a QR pass for each guest.
• Confirmations give the caterer a planning figure; live check-ins show real arrivals.
• Pair every scanner with a family host, and never let technology get in the way of welcoming guests.