Email Notifications
Email Notifications
Your attendees expect a confirmation the moment they register. Your team needs alerts when tickets sell out or refunds come through. Tickets Please includes 12 email types that cover the full event lifecycle — from the initial RSVP confirmation to the day-before reminder — each configurable independently with custom subject lines, body templates, and enable/disable toggles.
Email Types
Attendee-Facing Emails
These emails go to the people attending your events:
| Email Type | Trigger | Recipient | Key Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSVP Confirmation | RSVP submitted | Attendee | Includes .ics calendar attachment and Google Calendar / Outlook.com links |
| Ticket Confirmation | Ticket purchased | Attendee | Includes .ics attachment, security code, and Google Calendar / Outlook.com links |
| Order Confirmation | Order completed | Buyer | Full order summary with all tickets purchased |
| Attendee Check-in | Checked in at event | Attendee | Confirms the attendee has been marked as present |
| Event Reminder | 24 hours before event | All confirmed attendees | Automated via cron; see Event Reminders |
| Event Update | Date/venue/details changed | All attendees | Before/after comparison of changed fields; admin-triggered |
| Event Cancellation | Event cancelled | All attendees | Includes refund information if applicable |
| Refund Confirmation | Refund processed | Attendee | Shows the refund amount |
Admin-Facing Emails
These emails go to site administrators:
| Email Type | Trigger | Recipient | Key Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Order Admin | Order received | Admin | Summary of the new order |
| New RSVP Admin | RSVP received | Admin | Details of the new RSVP registration |
| Low Stock Alert | Ticket stock below threshold | Admin | Warns that a ticket type is running low |
| Sold Out Alert | Ticket sold out | Admin | Notifies when a ticket type has no remaining capacity |
Enabling and Disabling Emails
Each email type can be toggled on or off independently. Navigate to Events > Settings and find the settings for the specific email type you want to configure. Flip the Enable toggle to control whether that email sends.
Disabling an email type stops it from sending entirely. No emails of that type are queued or delivered until you re-enable it.
Placeholders
Use placeholders in your email subject lines and body templates to insert dynamic content. Tickets Please supports these placeholders across all email types:
| Placeholder | Output |
|---|---|
{attendee_name} | The attendee’s full name |
{attendee_email} | The attendee’s email address |
{event_name} | The event title |
{event_date} | The formatted event date |
{event_time} | The formatted event time |
{event_venue} | The venue name |
{event_url} | The public URL of the event page |
{ticket_name} | The ticket type name |
{ticket_price} | The ticket price |
{security_code} | The attendee’s unique security code |
{order_total} | The total order amount |
{refund_amount} | The refund amount (refund emails only) |
{site_name} | Your WordPress site name |
{site_url} | Your WordPress site URL |
Placeholders work in both the subject line and the body. Any placeholder that does not apply to a particular email type (e.g., {refund_amount} in an RSVP confirmation) renders as an empty string.
Calendar Attachments
RSVP and ticket confirmation emails include a .ics calendar file as an attachment. When the recipient opens the attachment, their calendar application (Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Outlook) prompts them to add the event.
The email body also includes direct links:
- Add to Google Calendar — opens Google Calendar with the event details pre-filled
- Add to Outlook.com — opens Outlook.com with the event details pre-filled
These links work regardless of the recipient’s email client or operating system.
Email Format
All emails are sent as HTML with a plain text fallback for email clients that do not render HTML. The HTML template includes inline CSS for consistent rendering across Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and other major clients.
See Email Customization for details on branding the HTML template with your logo and colors.
Common Questions
Can I preview an email before it sends? You can review the template content in the settings, but there is no built-in preview-in-browser feature. Use the Resend Email row action on any attendee to send a test copy to a real email address.
Do all 12 email types come enabled by default? Attendee-facing emails (RSVP confirmation, ticket confirmation, order confirmation) are enabled by default. Admin emails and automated emails like event reminders must be enabled in settings.
Can I use HTML in the email body template? Yes. The body field accepts HTML. Your custom HTML is wrapped in the global email template, so it inherits the header image, color scheme, and layout automatically.
What email address do notifications send from?
Tickets Please uses the WordPress default sender configured in Settings > General (typically wordpress@yourdomain.com). To customize the sender name and address, use a plugin like WP Mail SMTP.
Can I add custom placeholders? The 14 built-in placeholders cover the most common needs. Custom placeholders are not supported through the admin interface, but developers can extend the placeholder system using WordPress filters.
Are .ics attachments included in reminder and update emails? No. Calendar attachments are only included in the initial RSVP and ticket confirmation emails. Reminders and updates reference the event details in the email body but do not include a new .ics file.
What happens if email delivery fails?
Tickets Please hands emails to the WordPress wp_mail() function. Delivery depends on your server’s mail configuration. If emails are not arriving, install an SMTP plugin (WP Mail SMTP, Post SMTP) to route through a reliable email service.
Next Steps
- Email Customization — brand your emails with custom colors, logos, and templates
- Event Reminders — configure the automated 24-hour-before reminder
- Event Updates & Cancellations — notify attendees when event details change