Why local matters more than it sounds
It is a small thing until it is not. American tools quote in USD, so a $30 plan is really $42 by the time your card settles, and you find out afterwards. They offer card payment only, when almost everyone in Canada would rather send an e-Transfer. And their support hours are somebody else's afternoon.
Hloo Events is run from Ottawa. Prices are in CAD, payment is by Interac e-Transfer, and if you message the WhatsApp number a person in this time zone answers it.
The problem Ottawa venues create
Venues in the region generally work on a minimum guarantee — you commit to a number some days before, and you pay for that number whether the people show up or not. Get it wrong on the high side and you have paid for empty chairs. Get it wrong on the low side and you are negotiating with a banquet manager on your wedding day.
At $35 to $50 a plate around here, being sixty over is more than $2,000. The only defence is an accurate count, collected early, that you can hand over with confidence.
What you get
Function-wise counts
Rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception, next-day brunch — each with its own number.
Meal breakdown
Vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, gluten-free, Jain and allergy notes for your caterer.
Winter-wedding logistics
Collect who needs a shuttle seat. In an Ottawa February this is not optional.
CAD pricing
Free up to 500 guests. Pro CAD $50 per event. Ultimate Planner CAD $200 for five.
Guests coming from out of town
Ottawa weddings pull people in from Toronto and Montreal, and often from much further. That turns the RSVP into a logistics form as well as a headcount.
- Which nights each guest needs a hotel room, so you can size the room block
- Who needs a seat on the shuttle between the ceremony and the reception
- Who is arriving the day before and might come to a welcome dinner
- Who is bringing children, and how many need a child meal
Accommodation, transport, drinks and custom questions come with Pro at CAD $50. Function-wise attendance and core meal counts are on the free plan.
Multi-day and multicultural weddings
A lot of weddings in the region run across several days, or blend two families' traditions into one weekend. That is exactly the case a single yes-or-no RSVP handles worst.
Each function gets its own link and its own guest list. See the multi-day event page for how that works, or the South Asian wedding page if your weekend includes a mehendi and a sangeet.
Talk to a person
If you would rather not set it up yourself, send your invitation card to +1 613 801 2858 on WhatsApp and we will build the event for you and send back your host dashboard. Or email event@hloo.in.
Questions people ask
Are prices actually in Canadian dollars?
Yes. Free up to 500 guests, Pro at CAD $50 for one event, Ultimate Planner at CAD $200 for up to five. No currency conversion surprise on your statement.
Can I pay by Interac e-Transfer?
Yes, that is the normal way to pay from Canada. UPI is available for payments from India.
Do you work with couples outside Ottawa?
Yes. The tool works anywhere. Ottawa is simply where it is built and where the support answers from.
Can I collect shuttle and hotel needs in the RSVP?
Yes, with Pro. Both are common requests for weddings here, particularly in winter and for guests travelling from Toronto or Montreal.
Will my caterer accept the export?
Almost certainly. It is a standard CSV that opens in Excel or Google Sheets, which is the format venues and caterers already work in.
How far ahead should I send the RSVP links?
Six to eight weeks before the date is typical, with a reminder at three weeks. The tool writes both messages for you and shows you who has not replied yet.
Other things Hloo Events handles
Start free, upgrade only if you need to
Free up to 500 guests. Pro is CAD 49. Ultimate Planner is CAD 199 for up to 5 events.