How to Sell Tickets for a Paid Event: Ticket Types, Seat Maps and Table Bookings

A 31st December party sells general entry, couple passes and VIP tables. A comedy show sells seats by row. A garba night sells member, non-member and family passes. Each needs its tickets set up differently, and some need a seat or table map.

This guide is for venues, party planners, artists and bands, and clubs hosting cultural events. TicketRoot’s team sets up ticketing, seat maps and check-in for events in India and the UAE, based on each organiser’s requirements.

The short answer: list every ticket type you want to sell, with its price, quantity and what it includes. Then decide whether guests choose a seat or table, or simply enter. Set up the seat or table map to match the venue, test a booking for each ticket type, and only then share the link. TicketRoot’s registration and ticketing setup supports different ticket categories and capacity limits. Share your venue plan with our team to discuss seat or table mapping.

How do you set up ticket types for a paid event?

Start with a list of every type of ticket you'll sell. For each one, write down the price, how many are available, and what it includes.

Set each quantity against what the venue can actually deliver. A rooftop may hold 300 guests but only 20 VIP tables. TicketRoot supports tiered and timed tickets, with access rules by ticket type.

How do early-bird pricing and coupons work?

• Early-bird pricing is a cheaper tier that closes on a set date or after a set number of tickets. Say which on the ticket page.

• Coupons lower the price for a specific group, such as a partner, your community or a band's mailing list. Test which ticket types each code applies to, and when it expires.

A coupon changes only the price. Any drink, gift or access belongs to the ticket type, so a discounted Premium ticket still includes its drink. For the pricing decision itself, use our guide to pricing event tickets.

How do you sell tickets with reserved seating?

Use reserved seating when guests care where they sit: comedy shows, concerts in a hall, theatre and dance performances, and award nights.

• Build the seat map, or seating chart, from the venue's actual layout: rows, seat numbers, aisles and any seats with a restricted view.

• Price by section. Front rows, the balcony and the rest can each be a separate ticket type.

• Let guests pick their seat at checkout. Each seat sells once, and the QR pass shows the seat number.

• Hold seats you'll need, for artists' guests, sponsors and accessible seating, before sales open.

TicketRoot's theatre format lets guests pick a row and seat from the map as they book. Share the venue layout, and the TicketRoot team builds the seat map.

How do you set up table booking for a 31st December party?

Use tables for 31st December and New Year’s Eve parties, gala dinners and award nights, where guests book as a group.

• Map the tables to the floor plan, with each table's number and how many people it seats.

• Decide who chooses. Guests can pick a table at checkout, or you can sell table tickets and assign tables later.

• Price the table or the seat. Sell a whole table to one buyer, or sell individual seats at shared tables.

• Record each guest's ticket type against their table, so the venue knows where VIPs sit.

Test the plan with three cases: a couple booking together, a VIP moved to another table, and a guest whose name changes after the list goes out. TicketRoot's round-table format supports events where guests sit at tables. Share the floor plan, and we map the tables and their categories.

Can you sell tickets for more than one show timing?

Yes. Set up each show timing as its own date and time, with its own quantity and, if needed, its own seat map. Each pass then shows the timing it's valid for, so door staff can see at a glance which show a guest's ticket is for.

This suits comedy shows with two shows a night, workshops with several batches, and festivals with day passes. For a festival example with single, double and group tickets alongside early-bird pricing, see the Tira K Beauty Festival case study.

How do you sell tickets on Instagram and WhatsApp?

Share one ticket link everywhere. Put it in your Instagram bio and story link stickers, pin the announcement, and post it in your WhatsApp community or members’ group. Guests then see every ticket type, and the seat or table map, in one place, and pay by UPI or card. For ideas on promotion after the page is live, read how to sell event tickets.

What gets checked before tickets go on sale?

We run these checks with you before sales open.

• Book one ticket of every type yourself, and check the price, the confirmation and the QR pass.

• Book a seat and a table, and check that each shows on the pass and can't be sold twice.

• Apply each coupon, and check it works only on the intended ticket types.

• Ask your platform about fees, GST or VAT on tickets, when you’re paid, and how refunds work. After launch, use ticket sales and promo-code reporting to check what sold and which offers were used.

• Put your refund and no-show policy on the ticket page.

To see the whole guest journey for parties, shows and cultural events, from entry to photos, read How to Organise a Paid Ticketed Event.

Setting up tickets for a party, show or garba night? Talk to TicketRoot about your ticket types and venue map.

Frequently asked questions

How do I sell tickets for a 31st December party in India?

With TicketRoot, create ticket types for general entry, couples and VIP tables, add a table map if guests book tables, and share one ticket link on Instagram and WhatsApp. Guests pay by UPI or card and receive a QR pass.

Can guests choose their own seats when they buy tickets?

Yes, with reserved seating. In TicketRoot, guests pick a row and seat from the seat map at checkout, and each seat sells only once.

How do couple and family passes work?

A couple or family pass is one ticket that admits a set number of people. Define exactly who it covers, for example two adults and two children, and show it on the pass.

How do I sell garba passes for members and non-members?

Create separate member and non-member ticket types, check membership before the member price applies, and add family passes if your community needs them. See a short video on hosting cultural events.

Can I sell table bookings and general entry for the same event?

Yes. Sell tables as their own ticket type, alongside general entry, so the table map shows only table bookings.

What is the difference between a ticket type and a coupon?

A ticket type defines what the buyer receives, such as general entry, a couple pass or a VIP table. A coupon changes the price for an eligible ticket. Set the inclusions on the ticket type, then test the coupon against each ticket it should cover.

Can I sell early-bird and regular tickets for the same event?

Yes. Set the early-bird price with a clear end date or quantity, then make the regular price available according to your sales plan. Test the changeover before sharing the ticket link.

What do you need to create a seat or table map?

Start with the venue floor plan, numbered seats or tables, capacity, aisles, restricted-view seats and any places to hold back. Share the plan and ticket categories with TicketRoot so the booking setup can be reviewed against the actual layout.