Setting up a gift table sounds simple until the reception starts. Cards pile up without names, registry gifts arrive with no tags, and by the end of the night you're staring at a stack of envelopes wondering who gave what. Over 40% of couples say they lost track of at least one gift.

Pudding's Gift Tracker works the moment you open the link. No app to install. Pre-registered guests auto-complete in seconds, so your helper can log each card or gift in under 5 seconds per person.

When the reception wraps up, the full summary is already waiting on the dashboard. No spreadsheets, no guesswork.

Creating Your Gift Table Link

Go to Guest Management → Gift Table tab to set up your tracking station. Add the name and contact info for the person watching the gift table (1 to 2 helpers recommended), write an optional welcome message, then tap Share Link to generate the tracking link. Send this link to your helper before the wedding day so they can bookmark it on their phone.

Preparation Timeline

Follow this schedule leading up to the wedding. From choosing your helper to doing a quick rehearsal, two weeks is plenty.

Make sure to delete any test entries from the D-1 rehearsal before the wedding. You can remove them directly from the check-in screen.

What Your Helper Logs at the Gift Table

When your helper opens the link, the logging screen appears right away. For pre-registered guests, typing just 2 to 3 letters of a name triggers autocomplete, finishing the entry in about 5 seconds. Even brand-new names take only 10 seconds.

Each guest entry has 3 fields.

Once submitted, the entry shows up in real-time tallies instantly.

Guest Autocomplete

Your pre-registered guest list syncs automatically with the gift table tracker. Type just 2 to 3 letters of a name and autocomplete pulls up the guest's details.

What if someone not on the list drops off a gift? You can add a new guest right from the tracking screen. Enter their name and gift info, and it will appear in your dashboard immediately.

Card Box and Registry Gifts in One Place

At most Western weddings, gifts arrive in two forms: cards in a card box (often containing cash, checks, or gift cards) and wrapped or shipped registry items. Pudding lets you log both in the same tracker.

Your helper simply notes whether the gift was a card, a registry item, or something else. The dashboard keeps everything organized so you know exactly what came from whom.

Place your card box and a small sign ("Cards" or "Gifts") at the entrance to the reception. Shipped registry gifts can be logged later at home using the same link.

How to Correct Mistakes

Things move fast during a reception. If a gift amount or description is wrong, just tap the entry in the log to open the edit screen.

Accidentally logged the same guest twice? Delete the duplicate. Guests added without autocomplete can be linked to existing entries later.

Real-Time Summary

As entries come in, your dashboard updates automatically: total gifts received, number of guests logged, and thank-you note status. By the time the reception ends, the full summary is already on your phone.

The gift log connects directly to thank-you note tracking, so you can start writing personalized notes right away. Without a tracker, couples typically spend 2 to 3 hours after the wedding sorting through cards and trying to match gifts to names. With Pudding, everything is recorded the moment it's entered.

Practical Tips for Gift Table Day-Of

Gift table helpers always panic at the same moments. Keep this list handy on your phone during the reception.

If you have two helpers, split roles: one person logs gifts, the other greets guests and directs them to the card box. This keeps things smooth even during peak arrival times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Gift Table Preparation Checklist

One Link Replaces the Spreadsheet