diff --git a/apps/backend/src/poll/poll/poll.controller.ts b/apps/backend/src/poll/poll/poll.controller.ts
index dd1122e1..17bedf57 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/poll/poll/poll.controller.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/poll/poll/poll.controller.ts
@@ -147,13 +147,21 @@ export class PollController {
         return this.pollService.deleteParticipation(id, participantId);
     }
 
-    @Post(':id/book')
-    async bookEvents(@Param('id', ObjectIdPipe) id: Types.ObjectId, @Body() events: string[]): Promise<ReadPollDto> {
-        const poll = await this.pollService.getPoll(id);
-        if (!poll) {
-            throw new NotFoundException(id);
-        }
-
-        return this.pollService.bookEvents(id, events.map(e => new Types.ObjectId(e)));
-    }
+  @Post(':id/book')
+  async bookEvents(
+    @Param('id', ObjectIdPipe) id: Types.ObjectId,
+    @Body() events: Record<string, string[] | true>,
+  ): Promise<ReadPollDto> {
+    const poll = await this.pollService.getPoll(id);
+    if (!poll) {
+      throw new NotFoundException(id);
+    }
+
+    // convert nested strings to ObjectIds
+    const bookedEvents = Object.fromEntries(Object
+      .entries(events)
+      .map(([key, value]) => [key, value === true ? true as const : value.map(v => new Types.ObjectId(v))]),
+    );
+    return this.pollService.bookEvents(id, bookedEvents);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/poll/poll/poll.service.ts b/apps/backend/src/poll/poll/poll.service.ts
index a803d717..4a69b564 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/poll/poll/poll.service.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/poll/poll/poll.service.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ export class PollService implements OnModuleInit {
       this.migrateSelection(),
       this.migratePollEvents(),
       this.migrateShowResults(),
+      this.migrateBookedEvents(),
     ]);
   }
 
@@ -114,6 +115,26 @@ export class PollService implements OnModuleInit {
     result.modifiedCount && this.logger.log(`Migrated ${result.modifiedCount} polls to the new show result format.`);
   }
 
+  private async migrateBookedEvents() {
+    // migrate all Poll's bookedEvents: ObjectId[] to Record<ObjectId, true>
+    const polls = await this.pollModel.find({bookedEvents: {$type: 'array'}}).exec();
+    if (!polls.length) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    for (const poll of polls) {
+      const bookedEvents = poll.bookedEvents as unknown as Types.ObjectId[];
+      const newBookedEvents: Record<string, true> = {};
+      for (const event of bookedEvents) {
+        newBookedEvents[event.toString()] = true;
+      }
+      poll.bookedEvents = newBookedEvents;
+      poll.markModified('bookedEvents');
+    }
+    await this.pollModel.bulkSave(polls, {timestamps: false});
+    this.logger.log(`Migrated ${polls.length} polls to the new booked events format.`);
+  }
+
   private activeFilter(active: boolean | undefined): FilterQuery<Poll> {
     if (active === undefined) {
       return {};
@@ -360,29 +381,55 @@ export class PollService implements OnModuleInit {
     return this.participantModel.findByIdAndDelete(participantId, {projection: readParticipantSelect}).exec();
   }
 
-  async bookEvents(id: Types.ObjectId, events: Types.ObjectId[]): Promise<ReadPollDto> {
+  async bookEvents(id: Types.ObjectId, events: Poll['bookedEvents']): Promise<ReadPollDto> {
     const poll = await this.pollModel.findByIdAndUpdate(id, {
       bookedEvents: events,
     }, {new: true})
-      .populate<{bookedEvents: PollEvent[]}>('bookedEvents')
       .select(readPollSelect)
       .exec();
-    for await (const participant of this.participantModel.find({poll: new Types.ObjectId(id)})) {
-      const appointments = poll.bookedEvents.map(event => {
-        let eventLine = this.renderEvent(event, undefined, poll.timeZone);
-        const selection = participant.selection[event._id.toString()];
-        if (selection === 'yes' || selection === 'maybe') {
-          eventLine += ' *';
-        }
-        return eventLine;
-      });
+    const eventDocs = await this.pollEventModel.find({
+      poll: id,
+      _id: {$in: Object.keys(events).map(e => new Types.ObjectId(e))},
+    });
+    for await (const participant of this.participantModel.find({
+      poll: new Types.ObjectId(id),
+      mail: {$exists: true},
+    })) {
+      const appointments = eventDocs
+        .filter(event => {
+          const booked = events[event._id.toString()];
+          // only show the events to the participant that are either
+          if (booked === true) {
+            // 1) booked entirely, or
+            return true;
+          } else if (Array.isArray(booked)) {
+            // 2) booked for the participant
+            return booked.some(id => participant._id.equals(id));
+          } else {
+            return false;
+          }
+        })
+        .map(event => {
+          let eventLine = this.renderEvent(event, undefined, poll.timeZone);
+          const selection = participant.selection[event._id.toString()];
+          if (selection === 'yes' || selection === 'maybe') {
+            eventLine += ' *';
+          }
+          return eventLine;
+        });
+
+      if (!appointments.length) {
+        // don't send them an email if there are no appointments
+        continue;
+      }
+
       this.mailService.sendMail(participant.name, participant.mail, 'Poll booked', 'book', {
         appointments,
         poll: poll.toObject(),
         participant: participant.toObject(),
-      }).then();
+      }).catch(console.error);
     }
-    return {...poll.toObject(), bookedEvents: events};
+    return poll;
   }
 
   private renderEvent(event: PollEvent, locale?: string, timeZone?: string) {
diff --git a/apps/backend/test/stubs/PollStub.ts b/apps/backend/test/stubs/PollStub.ts
index 9330914d..8310a585 100644
--- a/apps/backend/test/stubs/PollStub.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/test/stubs/PollStub.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,6 @@ export const PollStub = (): PollDto => {
       showResult: ShowResultOptions.IMMEDIATELY,
     },
     adminToken: '619b3a00-2dc3-48f1-8b3d-50386a91a559',
-    bookedEvents: [],
+    bookedEvents: {},
   };
 };
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/app/pipes/some.pipe.ts b/apps/frontend/src/app/pipes/some.pipe.ts
index cea19834..532d537f 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/app/pipes/some.pipe.ts
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/app/pipes/some.pipe.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import {Pipe, PipeTransform} from '@angular/core';
   name: 'some',
 })
 export class SomePipe implements PipeTransform {
-  transform<T>(array: T[], search: T): boolean {
-    return array.includes(search);
+  transform<T>(array: T[] | unknown, search: T): boolean {
+    return Array.isArray(array) && array.includes(search);
   }
 }
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/create-poll/create-edit-poll.component.ts b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/create-poll/create-edit-poll.component.ts
index fd793b79..d611b1ce 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/create-poll/create-edit-poll.component.ts
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/create-poll/create-edit-poll.component.ts
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ export class CreateEditPollComponent implements OnInit {
       adminMail: pollForm.emailUpdates ? this.poll?.adminMail || this.mail : undefined,
       adminPush: pollForm.pushUpdates && (this.poll?.adminPush || pushToken?.toJSON()) || undefined,
       timeZone: Intl.DateTimeFormat().resolvedOptions().timeZone,
-      bookedEvents: [],
+      bookedEvents: {},
       settings: {
         deadline: deadline?.toISOString(),
         allowMaybe: !!pollForm.allowMaybe,
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/ical/ical.component.ts b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/ical/ical.component.ts
index 7fbd8b99..5bb71c91 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/ical/ical.component.ts
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/ical/ical.component.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export class IcalComponent implements OnInit {
       ])),
     ).subscribe(([poll, events, participants]) => {
       this.url = new URL(`/poll/${poll.id}/participate`, window.location.origin).href;
-      this.config.onlyBookedEvents = poll.bookedEvents.length > 0;
+      this.config.onlyBookedEvents = Object.keys(poll.bookedEvents).length > 0;
 
       const exampleEvent = events.find(e => e.participants > 0) ?? events[0];
       this.exampleEvent = {
@@ -67,7 +67,16 @@ export class IcalComponent implements OnInit {
     });
 
     for (const event of this.getExportedEvents()) {
-      const eventParticipants = participants.filter(p => p.selection[event._id] === 'yes' || p.selection[event._id] === 'maybe');
+      const eventParticipants = participants.filter(p => {
+        if (p.selection[event._id] !== 'yes' && p.selection[event._id] !== 'maybe') {
+          return false;
+        }
+        const bookedEvent = poll.bookedEvents[event._id];
+        if (config.onlyBookedEvents && Array.isArray(bookedEvent) && !bookedEvent.includes(p._id)) {
+          return false;
+        }
+        return true;
+      });
 
       let summary = config.customTitle || poll.title;
       if (eventParticipants.length === 1) {
@@ -103,7 +112,7 @@ export class IcalComponent implements OnInit {
       if (!this.config.emptyEvents && !e.participants) {
         return false;
       }
-      if (this.config.onlyBookedEvents && !this.poll?.bookedEvents.includes(e._id)) {
+      if (this.config.onlyBookedEvents && !this.poll?.bookedEvents[e._id]) {
         return false;
       }
       return true;
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/services/poll.service.ts b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/services/poll.service.ts
index adff9546..ed89cccd 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/services/poll.service.ts
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/services/poll.service.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import type {PollEventState} from '@apollusia/types';
 import {Observable} from 'rxjs';
 
 import {environment} from '../../../environments/environment';
-import {CreateParticipantDto, Participant, ReadPoll, ReadPollEvent, UpdateParticipantDto} from '../../model';
+import {CreateParticipantDto, Participant, Poll, ReadPoll, ReadPollEvent, UpdateParticipantDto} from '../../model';
 
 @Injectable({
   providedIn: 'root',
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export class PollService {
     return this.http.get<boolean>(`${environment.backendURL}/poll/${id}/admin/${adminToken}`);
   }
 
-  book(id: string, events: string[]) {
+  book(id: string, events: Poll['bookedEvents']) {
     return this.http.post(`${environment.backendURL}/poll/${id}/book`, events);
   }
 
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.html b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.html
index 7f62bb47..35a8d969 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.html
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.html
@@ -63,20 +63,34 @@
             @if (participant !== editParticipant) {
               @for (pollEvent of pollEvents; track pollEvent; let n = $index) {
                 <td>
-                  @switch (participant.selection[pollEvent._id]) {
-                    @case ('yes') {
-                      <h5 class="p-yes bi-check-lg" ngbTooltip="Yes"></h5>
+                  <div class="d-flex">
+                    @switch (participant.selection[pollEvent._id]) {
+                      @case ('yes') {
+                        <h5 class="p-yes bi-check-lg" ngbTooltip="Yes"></h5>
+                      }
+                      @case ('no') {
+                        <h5 class="p-no bi-x-lg" ngbTooltip="No"></h5>
+                      }
+                      @case ('maybe') {
+                        <h5 class="p-maybe bi-question" ngbTooltip="Maybe"></h5>
+                      }
+                      @default {
+                        <h5 class="p-unset bi-question" ngbTooltip="Unspecified"></h5>
+                      }
                     }
-                    @case ('no') {
-                      <h5 class="p-no bi-x-lg" ngbTooltip="No"></h5>
+                    @if (isAdmin) {
+                      @for (isBooked of [bookedEvents[pollEvent._id] | some:participant._id]; track isBooked // cursed_variable) {
+                        <input
+                          type="checkbox"
+                          class="ms-2 text-secondary form-check-hidden"
+                          [class.bi-star-fill]="isBooked"
+                          [class.bi-star]="!isBooked"
+                          [ngModel]="isBooked"
+                          (ngModelChange)="setBookedParticipant(pollEvent._id, participant._id, $event)"
+                        >
+                      }
                     }
-                    @case ('maybe') {
-                      <h5 class="p-maybe bi-question" ngbTooltip="Maybe"></h5>
-                    }
-                    @default {
-                      <h5 class="p-unset bi-question" ngbTooltip="Unspecified"></h5>
-                    }
-                  }
+                  </div>
                 </td>
               }
               <td class="border-0 text-start">
@@ -135,14 +149,15 @@ <h5 [class]="bestOption === pollEvent.participants ? 'bi-award text-primary' : '
       @if (poll && isAdmin) {
         <tr>
           <th>Select Events</th>
-          @for (pollEvent of pollEvents; track pollEvent; let i = $index) {
+          @for (pollEvent of pollEvents; track pollEvent) {
             <td>
               <input
                 type="checkbox"
                 class="text-primary form-check-hidden"
-                [class.bi-star-fill]="bookedEvents[i]"
-                [class.bi-star]="!bookedEvents[i]"
-                [(ngModel)]="bookedEvents[i]"
+                [class.bi-star-fill]="bookedEvents[pollEvent._id] === true"
+                [class.bi-star]="bookedEvents[pollEvent._id] !== true"
+                [ngModel]="bookedEvents[pollEvent._id] === true"
+                (ngModelChange)="setBooked(pollEvent._id, $event)"
               >
             </td>
           }
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.scss b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.scss
index c946d559..391f8a78 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.scss
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.scss
@@ -27,4 +27,5 @@
 
 h5 {
   margin: 0;
+  flex-grow: 1;
 }
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.ts b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.ts
index a615ac99..64c0007e 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.ts
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/app/poll/table/table.component.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import {checkParticipant} from '@apollusia/logic';
 import type {PollEventState} from '@apollusia/types';
 import {ToastService} from '@mean-stream/ngbx';
 
-import {CreateParticipantDto, Participant, ReadPoll, ReadPollEvent, UpdateParticipantDto} from '../../model';
+import {CreateParticipantDto, Participant, Poll, ReadPoll, ReadPollEvent, UpdateParticipantDto} from '../../model';
 import {PollService} from '../services/poll.service';
 
 @Component({
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export class TableComponent implements OnInit {
 
   @Output() changed = new EventEmitter<void>();
 
-  bookedEvents: boolean[] = [];
+  bookedEvents: Poll['bookedEvents'] = {};
 
   newParticipant: CreateParticipantDto = {
     name: '',
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export class TableComponent implements OnInit {
   }
 
   ngOnInit() {
-    this.bookedEvents = this.pollEvents.map(e => this.poll.bookedEvents.includes(e._id));
+    this.bookedEvents = this.poll.bookedEvents || {};
     this.newParticipant.token = this.token;
     this.clearSelection();
     this.validateNew();
@@ -106,9 +106,16 @@ export class TableComponent implements OnInit {
     this.pollService.selectAll(this.poll, this.pollEvents, this.newParticipant, state);
   }
 
+  setBooked(eventId: string, state: boolean) {
+    if (state) {
+      this.bookedEvents[eventId] = true;
+    } else {
+      delete this.bookedEvents[eventId];
+    }
+  }
+
   book() {
-    const events = this.pollEvents.filter((e, i) => this.bookedEvents[i]).map(e => e._id);
-    this.pollService.book(this.poll._id, events).subscribe(() => {
+    this.pollService.book(this.poll._id, this.bookedEvents).subscribe(() => {
       this.toastService.success('Booking', 'Booked events successfully');
     });
   }
@@ -116,4 +123,13 @@ export class TableComponent implements OnInit {
   private onChange() {
     this.changed.next();
   }
+
+  setBookedParticipant(eventId: string, participantId: string, state: boolean) {
+    const original = Array.isArray(this.bookedEvents[eventId]) ? this.bookedEvents[eventId] as string[] : [];
+    if (state) {
+      this.bookedEvents[eventId] = [...original, participantId];
+    } else {
+      this.bookedEvents[eventId] = original.filter(id => id !== participantId);
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/libs/types/src/lib/schema/poll.schema.ts b/libs/types/src/lib/schema/poll.schema.ts
index e131af0d..04799f6f 100644
--- a/libs/types/src/lib/schema/poll.schema.ts
+++ b/libs/types/src/lib/schema/poll.schema.ts
@@ -93,8 +93,10 @@ export class Poll {
     @ValidateNested()
     settings: Settings;
 
-    @RefArray('PollEvent')
-    bookedEvents: Types.ObjectId[];
+    @Prop({type: Object})
+    @ApiProperty()
+    @IsObject()
+    bookedEvents: Record<string, Types.ObjectId[] | true>;
 }
 
 export const PollSchema = SchemaFactory.createForClass(Poll);