When creating your event, one of the first decisions you'll make is selecting the event template that best matches your fundraising strategy.

Both the Vision Dinner and Table Reservation templates allow hosts to invite guests, but they are designed for two fundamentally different event models.

• Vision Dinner begins with people—hosts invite guests, and guest groups grow naturally as RSVPs are received.

• Table Reservation begins with seats—tables or bundles are reserved first, and those reserved seats are then filled with attendees.

Choosing the template that matches your event structure will provide the smoothest experience for your staff, hosts, and attendees.

Choose Vision Dinner if...

A Vision Dinner is designed for relationship-driven fundraising events where the primary goal is growing attendance through personal invitations—not reserved tables.

Choose this template if:

• Hosts invite guests without reserving/purchasing a specific table.

• You don't know in advance how many guests each host will bring.

• Hosts may continue adding guests as RSVPs come in.

• Staff members assign or approve hosts.

• Guests should be able to select the host who invited them during registration.

• You want administrators to be able to promote guests to hosts or demote hosts back to guests as plans evolve.

How Hosting Works in a Vision Dinner Event

In a Vision Dinner, hosts are not tied to a reserved table or a fixed number of seats.

Instead, each host has a guest group that grows naturally as guests RSVP or are added by the host or an administrator. Guests associated with the same host remain grouped together for seating and reporting, but the group is not predetermined and does not reserve event capacity until registrations are submitted.

This flexible model allows hosts to continue inviting guests without worrying about predefined seat limits.

Choose Table Reservation if...

A Table Reservation event is designed for reserved seating where specific seats belong to the primary registrant.

NOTE: Models that would function similarly include “Table Reservation Event,” “Table Host Event with Sponsors,” and “Pay-to-Attend Gala Event.”

Choose one of these templates if:

• Individuals or organizations reserve/purchase tables or sponsorships.

• Each reservation includes a predetermined number of seats.

• You need to track ticket ownership and reserved seating.

• Hosts distribute registrations from their reserved/purchased reservation.

• Your reporting needs to reflect which attendees belong to each reserved/purchased table or bundle.

How Hosting Works in a Table Reservation Event

In a Table Reservation event, hosting is tied directly to a purchase/reservation.

When a table or bundled reservation is finalized, all of its seats are immediately reserved against the event's capacity, even if attendee information has not yet been entered.

Each reservation represents a fixed allocation of seats—for example, a table of eight or ten guests—and the host is expected to fill that specific reservation. Because the reservation represents reserved/purchased inventory, hosts cannot exceed the number of seats included with their reservation.

This model preserves accurate seating, ownership, reporting, and event capacity throughout the registration process.

Why Are Some Features Only Available in Vision Dinner?

Some organizations ask whether features like Promote to Host, Demote Host, or Select Host can also be used with Table Reservation events.

These features are intentionally designed for the flexible, relationship-based structure of Vision Dinner events.

In a Table Reservation event, hosts are connected to a fixed number of seats. Allowing hosts to be freely promoted, demoted, or reassigned would break the connection between fixed reservations, seat ownership, event capacity, and reporting.

Instead, Table Reservation events include management tools designed specifically for reserved seating, such as guest reassignment and registration management, while preserving the integrity of each reservation.

Feature Comparison

Which Template Should I Choose?

Ask yourself one simple question: Does my event begin with people or with seats?

• Choose Vision Dinner if people invite guests first, and guest groups form naturally as registrations are received.

• Choose Table Reservation if tables or seats are reserved first, and attendees are added later to fill those reserved seats.

In short:

• Vision Dinner is built around relationships.

• Table Reservation is built around reservations.

Selecting the template that matches your fundraising model from the beginning will provide the best registration experience for your hosts, guests, and event administrators.