GatherPress relies on WordPress’ default roles and capabilities. It does not introduce a separate permission system.

If you are familiar with how pages, posts, and comments work in WordPress, GatherPress permissions will feel familiar.

Creating and editing events

Creating and editing events follows the same permission model as pages and posts.

By default, the following roles can create, edit, and publish events:

• Administrator
• Editor
• Author

This means:

• Event creation behaves like creating a post or a page.
• Draft, publish, and update workflows are the same.
• The block editor experience is identical.
• Media uploads and block usage follow WordPress rules

Roles that cannot normally create posts (such as Subscriber) cannot create events.

Notes:

• GatherPress uses WordPress’ existing capabilities.
• Any customization to post permissions (via plugins or custom code) will also affect events.
• Event ownership matters: authors can edit their own events but not events created by others (unless permissions are extended)

RSVP permissions

RSVP permissions follow a model similar to commenting in WordPress.

What this means:

• RSVPs can be open to everyone, including visitors without an account.
• Logged-in users can RSVP using their existing account.
• Anonymous RSVPs (listed without a name) are still visible to event organizers.
• Guest RSVPs may collect minimal information (such as email), depending on event settings

Who can manage RSVPs:

• Administrators
• Editors
• Users who have permission to edit the event
• Subscribers can edit or cancel their own RSVP

These users can:

• View RSVP lists (event editors only)
• Unapprove RSVPs (event editors only)
• Approve or unapprove RSVPs (event editors only)
• Manage attendance limits (event editors only)
• Edit or cancel their own RSVP (subscribers and logged-in users)

Notes:

• RSVP permissions are tied to event editing rights, not a separate role.
• Changing who can edit an event directly affects who can manage its RSVPs

Following WordPress defaults

Because GatherPress follows WordPress defaults:

• Role behavior is predictable.
• Existing role-management plugins continue to work.
• Multisite role behavior follows WordPress’ standard rules.
• Multisite installations follow WordPress’ standard role and capability rules
• Permissions remain stable across updates

If you need advanced permission control:

• Use WordPress role or membership plugins.
• GatherPress will respect those rules automatically.