How to Cancel or Postpone Events

Canceling an event in Gatsby archives it… it doesn’t automatically notify guests. If invitations went out and people RSVP’d, you’ll need to handle guest communication separately.

What you need

• Event with sent invitations (if no invites were sent, just use the cancel option)
• Admin or Team Member access to the event

Cancel an event completely

1. Rename your event first

   Add something like “[CANCELED]” to the event title. Go to your event, click the dropdown next to the event name, select “Edit Event Details.”

   Renaming before canceling lets you send calendar updates that notify guests with existing calendar invites.

2. Send calendar update to accepted guests

   The title change triggers an option to send calendar update notifications for guests who already have the event on their calendars. You can choose to send the update now or send the update later.

3. Turn off new RSVP registrations

   In the RSVP tool, change the event status from “Open” to “Closed.” This prevents additional registrations from any outstanding invitation links.

4. Send cancellation email to accepted guests

   Use Campaigns to send a cancellation email to guests with “Accepted” RSVP status. Include context about the cancellation and any next steps.

5. Delete calendar invites (optional)

   If you need calendar invites completely removed from guest calendars:

   • Go to Guest List
   • Select All > Edit Column Values > RSVP column > set to “Declined”
   • You’ll see a prompt to send a calendar deletion notice (not silent, appears as system email)
   Warning: Setting guests to declined removes all RSVP tracking data. Only do this if calendar removal is desired.

6. Archive the event

   Click the dropdown next to event name > “Edit Event Details” > scroll to bottom > “Cancel Event.” This moves the event to your team’s archived section. When guests try to edit their registration, it will say “this event has been canceled at the top”.

Postpone an event (no new date set)

Sometimes you need to postpone but don’t have a new date yet. Here’s the cleanest approach:

1. Rename to show postponement

   Change the event title to something like “[POSTPONED] Original Event Name.” This give you the option to send a calendar update notification to existing attendees.

2. Update your RSVP landing page

   In the RSVP tool, edit the date/time/location that you have displayed on your landing page to show “TBD” or “Date To Be Determined.” This handles any late registrations.

3. Send postponement email

   Use Campaigns to notify accepted guests about the postponement. Include timeline for when you’ll announce the new date.

4. Keep RSVP data intact

   Don’t change guest RSVP statuses. When you set the new date, you can rename the event again and send another calendar update.

5. Set new date later

   When ready: rename event with new title, update date/time in event details, and send final calendar update. Send a follow-up campaign with guests’ unique RSVP links to confirm availability. They can visit your updated landing page, and edit their response if they need to cancel.

Common questions

Will guests get notified when I rename the event?

You can choose to share an update notification with guests if they already have a calendar invite. You can share the update right when you save changes to your event or later, whenever you want.

What happens to pending RSVPs when I cancel?

Pending guests never received calendar invites, so they only get notifications about your event being canceled if you send a campaign email about it.

Their RSVP links will still allow them to see your landing page and register, so you must set your event to “Closed” to prevent new registrations.

Can I restore a canceled event?

Canceled events are archived, not deleted. You can restore an archived event by using the three-dots menu next to the event under the “Archived” section of your Events & Lists dashboard.

Do calendar deletions work on all calendar apps?

Yes, the deletion notice follows standard calendar protocols and works with Outlook, Gmail, Apple Calendar, and other major calendar applications.