Online Invitations are an economical, eco-friendly and efficient way to see who can make it to your event! Whether you are hosting a celebration for friends and family or for your company, this guide will help you get started.
Design an Invitation
To start, you will want to use an online tool to create the actual invitation. The invitation should convey the vibe of the event and include all the major details, like: Date, Time, Location and links to any additional information an attendee might need.
If you’re using a tool like Blackbird RSVP, you can use images from our background library like what’s shown below or we always love a tool like Unplash that has a beautiful catalogue of photos to use for many event types.
If your event has custom graphics created by a designer, you should consider including those in your invitation somewhere.
Create your RSVP Form
The RSVP form is where you will collect any relevant information for your event planning needs. Common requirements for an RSVP form include First Name, Last Name, Dietary Preferences and sometimes a Meal Choice.
If you’re using Blackbird RSVP we also recommend to collect their email address (this happens by default in our system) so you have a preferred way to contact the guest if needed for reminders or any changes.
Double Check the Details
This might go without saying, but we always recommend double-checking the event details, especially the Date, Time and Location! This can save you from a major headache after you’ve sent the invitation out already.
Create a Guest List
Who are you looking to invite? You will need to create this list, accounting for any +1’s and start collecting their email addresses. Blackbird RSVP invitations have a shareable URL so if you know someone but don’t have their email address, you can always copy & paste the link to them via text or other methods.
Send your Invitation
You’re ready to go! Send your invitation out to your Guest List and let the responses pop into your inbox. This is usually where we start getting excited and begin frantically preparing.
Send Reminders
Even the most organized people miss an email or two. By a week or two, it’s probably time to send a reminder to anyone who may have missed the invitation.
Blackbird RSVP has a built-in email tool that allows you to remind just those who haven’t responded yet.
Close RSVP’s
At some point when you’ve locked in your number, you will want to cut off any new registrations for your event. It’s possible you could have guests reach out about bringing an additional person and that’s totally up to you and your venue. However, you want to make sure the form isn’t accepting more guests after your cutoff date.
In Blackbird, we have an Attendee Limit that once reached closes the RSVP section while still keeping the page up for guests.
Send a Pre-Event Reminder
One to two days before the event is a great time to send a reminder to the attendees. This reminder should include the date, time and location and any information they need about logistics and parking
Get ready to celebrate
Photo by Kelsey Chance on Unsplash
Don’t forget to follow up & say thanks
A follow up note after an event is always appreciated!