Digital Wedding Invitations: Are They OK, and How to Do Them Well

Digital wedding invitations are invitations you send by text, email or a messaging app instead of the mail — and for most modern weddings they are perfectly acceptable. The best ones open like a real card, hold every event, venue and RSVP in one link, and can be updated after you send them. Many couples still mail a handful of printed cards to grandparents and anyone who would treasure one.

Is it OK to send wedding invitations digitally?

Yes, for most couples — but traditional etiquette still prefers paper, so know your guest list. The Emily Post Institute says it's preferable to send each guest a printed invitation because of the personal nature of a wedding invitation, while email is fine for save-the-dates and informal notes.

In practice, the question is less "paper or digital?" and more "who on my list would feel left out without a card in the mail?" A simple rule works for most families:

• Send the digital invitation to everyone. It's the version with the live details, the map links and the RSVP.
• Mail a printed card to a few people — grandparents, older relatives, anyone who doesn't use a smartphone or will want a keepsake.
• Make the digital one feel like an invitation, not a group message. A real design, the guest's name, and a personal note make the difference.

What kinds of digital wedding invitations are there?

There are three: a designed image or PDF you attach, a short video, and an invitation link that opens a full page in the browser. Images and videos are quick to make; a link is the only one that can hold every event, update after it's sent and collect RSVPs.

	Image or PDF	Video invite	Invitation link
What guests get	One picture	A 30–90 second clip	A page that opens like a card, with every detail
Change a time or venue	Send a new image	Re-edit and resend	Edit once; the same link updates
Directions	Typed address	Typed address	One tap to maps for each venue
RSVPs	Replies scattered across texts	Replies scattered across texts	Collected in one list with headcounts
Best for	Save-the-dates	Social media teasers	The invitation itself

What should a digital wedding invitation include?

Everything a printed suite would — names, date, time, venue and RSVP — plus the details you'd normally put on a wedding website. Because space isn't limited, you can include the welcome drinks, the ceremony, the reception and the brunch, each with its own time and place.

• Who's hosting — the couple, or "together with their families", or the parents' names.
• The ceremony — date, time and venue, with a map link.
• The reception and any other events — rehearsal dinner, welcome party, after party, farewell brunch.
• Dress code — black tie, cocktail, garden party attire.
• RSVP — a reply-by date, how many seats you've reserved for them, and meal choices if you're serving a plated dinner (see our RSVP wording guide).
• Travel and hotels — for out-of-town guests, especially at a destination wedding.
• Children and gifts — adults-only, registry or honeymoon fund, said kindly.

How do you make a digital invitation feel special?

Give it a moment of anticipation and a personal touch. An invitation that opens — a ribbon untied, garden gates swinging open, an envelope lifting — feels like a gift, while a flat image feels like a forward.

• Address each guest by name. On PixerInvite, personal links greet each household ("Dear Sarah & Tom") and tag their RSVP so you know who replied.
• Choose a design that matches the day. A French château, a Santorini terrace, black-tie roses or an English rose garden — browse the Classic and Modern collection.
• Add your own voice. A short "our story", your photo, or a welcome video makes it unmistakably yours.
• Send it personally. A one-line message from you, with the link, lands better than a mass email.

How do guests RSVP to a digital invitation?

They tap a button on the invitation, fill in their name, how many are coming and any meal choice, and you see the reply instantly. No reply cards to post, no texts to chase, and the list exports to a spreadsheet for your caterer and seating plan.

A good RSVP form also respects your limits: a reply-by date after which it closes, the number of seats reserved for each guest, and an optional song request for the dance floor.

When should you send a digital wedding invitation?

The same time as paper: Emily Post's planning timeline says to mail invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding. Destination weddings need more notice, and a save-the-date months earlier — our invitation timeline covers every step.

How much do digital wedding invitations cost?

It ranges from free templates to custom-designed animated invitations, usually paid once per wedding rather than per guest. Postage and printing disappear entirely, which is where most of the saving comes from for large guest lists.

On PixerInvite you design and preview your invitation for free, then pay once to share it — unlimited guests, every event, RSVPs and sharing by text, email or WhatsApp are included in every plan.

Frequently asked questions

Are digital wedding invitations tacky?

Not when they're designed well and sent personally. Traditional etiquette prefers printed invitations, so many couples send the digital invitation to everyone and mail a few printed cards to older relatives.

Can I send wedding invitations by text?

Yes. Send a short personal message with the invitation link; the guest opens it in their browser — no app to install.

Can I change details after sending a digital invitation?

With an invitation link, yes — change a time, a venue or add an event and every guest sees the update on the same link.

Do older guests struggle with digital invitations?

Some may. Keep the invitation to a single tap with large text, and mail a printed card to anyone who'd prefer one.