On October 14, The Knot Worldwide announced it had agreed to buy Zola. Nothing changes for your wedding today, and you don't need to switch anything. But the news is a useful nudge: months of planning live inside someone else's software. Here's how to keep a copy of the parts you can't afford to lose, in about 30 minutes.
If you want the background on the deal first, we covered what's actually been reported about The Knot buying Zola. This guide is the practical follow-up.
Why back up at all?
It isn't about distrusting any company. Platforms change their apps, merge features, rework plans and retire tools all the time, and an acquisition usually brings some of that. Accounts also get locked, co-planners lose passwords, and couples switch sites for ordinary reasons.
Your guest list took weeks to build. Your RSVPs are the only record of who's coming and what they're eating. A spreadsheet you control costs nothing to keep.
The 30-minute backup, in 5 steps
1. Export your guest list
Get a spreadsheet with everything you'd need to send an invitation again: full names, households, mailing addresses, emails, phone numbers, plus-ones, kids, dietary notes and which events each guest is invited to.
- On Zola: Zola's help center says guest list export works on a computer, not in the app. Open your Guest List, click the three dots in the top-right corner, and choose the format you want. If you only need mailing addresses for a stationer, there's also an "Export Addresses" option.
- On The Knot: open your guest list and look for "Download List" at the top right, then pick a file format.
- Anywhere else: look for "Export" or "Download" on the guest list page. If there isn't one, copy the list into a spreadsheet by hand. It's tedious once and reassuring forever.
Menus move around, so if a button isn't where we describe it, the platform's help center will have the current steps.
2. Save your RSVPs as a dated file, every month
RSVPs change constantly, so a single export goes stale fast.
- On Zola: Zola's help center says to open the Track RSVPs page and click "Export RSVPs" in the upper right to download a CSV or Excel file.
- Everywhere: name each file with the date, like
rsvps-2026-10-19.csv, and keep the last few. Make sure meal choices, plus-ones and any notes guests left come along.
Once invitations are out, switch to a weekly export until your RSVP deadline.
3. List every link and QR code you've shared
Make a small table with four columns: the link, where it appears, who received it, and when. Include your website address, your registry link, and any QR code printed on save-the-dates or invitations.
If a link ever changes, you'll know exactly who needs the new one, instead of guessing which aunt still has the old card on her fridge.
4. Record your registry and gifts
Write down what has been bought, by whom, any cash fund contributions, and who you've already thanked.
- On Zola: the gift tracker lets you download a CSV of your gifts, including who sent each one and whether you've marked a thank-you as sent, according to Zola's help center.
- Everywhere: take screenshots of your registry page too. A picture of the list is a good second copy.
5. Copy your website's words into a document
Paste every page of your wedding website into one doc: the welcome note, your story, the schedule, travel and hotel-block details, the dress code and the FAQ. It's the writing you'd hate to redo.
While you're there, note anything you pay for, such as a premium plan or a custom domain, with its renewal date and what happens if it lapses.
A simple backup calendar
| When | What to save |
|---|---|
| Today | Full backup: guest list, RSVPs, links, registry, website text |
| Once a month | A fresh RSVP export and a registry screenshot |
| After invitations go out | An RSVP export every week until the deadline |
| A week before the wedding | Final headcount, meal choices and seating |
| After the wedding | The gift list, for thank-you notes |
Should you switch wedding websites?
Not because of a headline. Switch when something is actually wrong: guests can't find what they need, the site is hard to use on a phone, you don't like how it looks, or you want your website and your registry to live in different places.
If you do move, make it painless for your guests:
- Import the guest list you exported rather than retyping it.
- Rebuild the content from your doc so every detail carries over.
- Keep the old site up until everyone has the new link.
- Tell guests once, in one message, with the new link. Update any QR codes you haven't printed yet.
If you're looking at Wedflip
Wedflip is an independent wedding website builder. You can import your guest list from a CSV file, collect RSVPs on your site, and on the Plus or Pro plan export your guest list and RSVPs to CSV whenever you like. Wedflip doesn't run a registry, so keep yours where it is and link to it from your site.
You can try it free for 30 days. Plus is a one-time $15 for a year online, and Pro is a one-time $29 to keep your site up for good. The code WEDSEASON30 takes 30% off either plan until November 18. If you're comparing options, our Zola alternative page sets out the differences.
FAQ
Will my Zola website stop working because of the deal? There's no reporting that says so. Zola is set to keep running as its own brand, and the deal still needs approvals before it closes.
Can I export my guest list from the Zola app? Zola's help center says export is done on a computer, not in the app.
How often should I back up my RSVPs? Monthly while you plan, then weekly once invitations are out.
Do I need to tell my guests anything? No. Only if a link they have changes.
Sources: Reuters reporting via The Star (October 15, 2026); Inc.; PYMNTS; Zola help center articles "Can I export or print my guest list from Zola?" and "What about thank you notes?"; The Knot's guest list guide. Platform menus change, so check each help center for the current steps.
