Public lists — Wedding & Baby shower

Types of public lists

Public lists are designed for life's big occasions where you want anyone — a friend, a colleague, distant family — to be able to participate without any hassle. Three types are available: Wedding, Baby shower and Other.

Unlike private lists that work within a closed group, a public list is accessible via a direct link or by search on the platform. You control the visibility: by enabling the search option, your list appears in results when someone searches by name, date or location.

Good to know: to fill your list, you can also add an item spotted in a shop by scanning its barcode — available only from the mobile app (see the Mobile app guide).

Cover image and personalisation

Each public list can be personalised with a cover image in 1200×400 pixel format. Olaf automatically optimises your image so it loads quickly on all devices. This image is the first thing your guests see — it sets the tone and makes your list instantly recognisable.

In addition to the image, you can add a custom title, a description and specify the event location — information that makes searching easier and helps your guests quickly identify your list.

Reservation without an account — for all your guests

One of the strengths of public lists is that your guests can reserve an item without creating an account. They simply provide their first name, last name and email address. Olaf immediately sends a confirmation email containing a unique link valid for 48 hours to confirm the reservation.

Once confirmed, the reservation is active. The guest also receives a cancellation link valid for 30 days, allowing them to withdraw if needed, as long as the event date has not passed. For already logged-in users, the reservation is instant — no double confirmation required.

If you are logged in when you reserve, you will also find your reservation on your My Reservations page: a link takes you back to the list, and a button lets you cancel until the event date has passed.

Please note: the list owner cannot reserve on their own list. This rule prevents conflicts.

Gift discovery after the event

As with private lists, the surprise is protected until the end. The list owner discovers the names, emails and personal notes of those who reserved only after the event date. Until then, the owner sees nothing about the reservations — not even how many there are — while guests only see what is still available.

After the event date, the public page is no longer accessible to visitors. The list is no longer accessible to guests — this is a privacy protection measure. Only the owner, logged into their account, can access the reservation data from their dashboard and discover who gave them what, along with the personal messages left by each person.

Smart search and sharing

Guests can find a public list in two ways: via the direct link you send them, or via public search on the platform. The search is smart and tolerant of typos — you can search by name, approximate date or location.

You can share your list by email, WhatsApp, SMS or any other channel. Each list has a unique identifier in its URL that ensures only people with the link can access it if you have disabled public search.

Sharing from the mobile app

From the mobile app, you can share your public list directly through your phone's native share sheet (iOS or Android). A "Share" button is available both on the list screen and in its settings, and opens the operating system's picker: WhatsApp, SMS, Telegram, email, or any other app installed on your device.

The shared message automatically includes the names of the people concerned and the public link to the list, identical to the one generated from the web. Your guests tap the link and access the list in their browser — with no sign-up required — or directly in the mobile app if they have it installed.

Managing a public list together

You can entrust the management of a public list to someone else by entering their email address. If the address already belongs to an Olaf account, the person manages the list right away; otherwise, the management waits for them to sign up and opens as soon as their account is activated, with nothing to accept. Olaf doesn't tell you which of the two situations applies, out of respect for everyone's privacy.

Just like you, the person only discovers the reservations after the event date.