Waitlist

Manage overflow demand when your event reaches capacity

The waitlist feature allows hosts to manage overflow demand when their event reaches capacity. Guests can join a queue to be notified if spots become available.

Waitlists can be used with free and paid tickets. For paid tickets, guests authorize payment when they join the waitlist, and they are only charged if you approve them from the waitlist.

Enabling Waitlist

To enable waitlist for your event:

Go to your event’s manage page
Click on Registration
Navigate to Event Capacity
Set your event’s maximum capacity
Toggle on Over-Capacity Waitlist

Note: Crypto-priced tickets can’t use the waitlist because blockchain payments can’t be authorized for later capture.

How Waitlist Works

For Hosts

When your event reaches capacity:

New registrations automatically join the waitlist
You’ll see waitlisted guests in your guest list with a “Waitlist” status
You can approve or decline waitlisted guests individually or in bulk
For paid tickets, Luma captures payment when you approve a waitlisted guest
If you decline a paid waitlisted guest before payment is captured, Luma releases the payment authorization

To manage waitlisted guests:

Go to the Guests tab on your event manage page
Filter by “Waitlist” status to see all waitlisted guests
Select guests and choose to Approve or Decline
Add an optional message when changing their status

For Guests

When joining a waitlisted event:

You’ll see a “Join Waitlist” button instead of “Register”
You’ll choose your ticket type(s) (for group registrations, multiple types can be selected)
You’ll fill out any registration questions set by the host
For paid tickets, you’ll enter payment details and authorize payment
After joining, you’ll receive a confirmation email
Your registration status will show as “On Waitlist”
You won’t have access to event details (like virtual event links) until approved
You won’t be charged unless the host approves you from the waitlist

If you’re approved:

You’ll receive an email notification
Your status changes to “Going”
For paid tickets, your payment is captured
You’ll gain full access to event details
You’ll receive your event ticket

If you’re declined:

You’ll receive an email notification
Your registration will be cancelled
If there was a payment hold, it will be released. This may take a few days to appear on your card statement.

Paid Waitlists

For paid ticket waitlists, Luma uses a deferred payment flow:

The guest joins the waitlist and authorizes payment.
The guest is added to your waitlist, but Luma does not capture the payment yet.
If you approve the guest, Luma captures the payment and moves them to “Going”.
If you decline the guest or they cancel while on the waitlist, Luma releases the payment authorization.

Some payment methods don’t support deferred capture, so guests may see fewer payment options when joining a paid waitlist than they would for an immediately charged paid ticket.

Managing Capacity

The waitlist activates automatically when:

Your event reaches its set capacity
All available spots are filled

To adjust capacity:

Go to Registration → Event Capacity
Update the maximum capacity number
If you increase capacity, you can approve waitlisted guests

Event Capacity vs Ticket Capacity

Event capacity controls the total number of approved guests across all ticket types, and turns on the waitlist when reached
Ticket capacity sets a limit on a specific ticket type

The waitlist is event-wide, not per-ticket. It turns on only once the whole event is sold out — when the event reaches its event capacity, or every ticket type is full (or past its sale window).

A ticket capacity on its own won’t turn on the waitlist. If one ticket type fills up while other ticket types still have spots, that ticket shows “Sold Out” and guests can’t join a waitlist for it — the event still has room overall, so the waitlist hasn’t activated. To catch overflow demand with a waitlist, set an event capacity, since that’s what turns the waitlist on.

Best Practices

Set realistic capacity limits - Consider your venue size or virtual platform limits
Review waitlist regularly - Approve guests promptly when spots open up
Communicate clearly - Use custom messages when approving/declining guests
Monitor no-shows - You can approve waitlisted guests to fill last-minute cancellations

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I charge for waitlisted events? Yes. Guests can join the waitlist for paid tickets by authorizing payment. They won’t be charged unless you approve them from the waitlist.

Can I use crypto tickets with waitlists? No. Crypto payments can’t be authorized and captured later, so crypto-priced tickets can’t join the waitlist.

Do waitlisted guests count toward capacity? No, only approved guests count toward your event’s capacity limit.

Can I add a waitlist to a single ticket type? No. The waitlist is event-wide, not per-ticket. If one ticket type reaches its own capacity while other ticket types still have spots, it shows “Sold Out” without a waitlist option. The waitlist only turns on when the whole event is sold out — when it reaches your event capacity or every ticket type is full.

Can guests remove themselves from the waitlist? Yes, guests can cancel their waitlist registration at any time.

Will waitlisted guests automatically get approved if someone cancels? No, hosts must manually approve waitlisted guests when spots become available.

Can I send messages to waitlisted guests? Yes, you can send broadcast messages to all guests, including those on the waitlist.