Free digital wedding invitations: how to make one with online RSVP, step by step

What a digital wedding invitation is (and why it beats a PDF)

A PDF or an image made in Canva looks nice in a text thread, but that is all it does: guests can’t RSVP from it, it won’t open a map, and if the time changes you have to send it again. A digital invitation is a small website: it opens from a link or a QR code, shows a map for every venue, has a button to save the date to your calendar and another to RSVP, and anything you change updates for everyone.

Before you start: what to have ready

• Your names exactly as they should appear, and the date.
• The time and address of each part of the day: ceremony, reception and after-party.
• A well-lit cover photo, ideally one where both faces are clear.
• The RSVP deadline: three to four weeks before the wedding is typical in the US.
• Whether there will be a shuttle, a welcome party or meal choices, with the actual options.

1. Pick an invitation design

Start with the designs. Each one is the real invitation running, not a mockup: what you see is exactly what guests will see on their phones. You can switch designs later without losing anything you have written.

2. Fill in the wedding details

Open the editor and add your names, the date, the cover photo and the venues. The preview updates as you type, and you don’t need an account to design it: the draft is saved in your browser.

3. Turn on only what you need

Your story, photos, registry details, a shared photo album, a collaborative Spotify playlist, a welcome party or parents and wedding party: every section can be switched on or off. A short, clear invitation works better than one that tries to say everything.

4. Set up online RSVPs

Decide what to ask: whether guests are coming, who with — with each plus-one’s name —, their meal choice and whether they need a seat on the shuttle. Set the deadline and read what to put on your wedding RSVP so everyone replies on time.

5. Publish it for free

When it’s ready, press “Publish” and sign in with Google. No card, no trial period and no per-guest fee: publishing is free, with one invitation per account. Here is everything that is included. From that moment your invitation has its own link and QR code.

6. Send it by text, WhatsApp or with a QR code

Text the link to each guest, drop it in the family group chat, email it to anyone who prefers that, and print the QR code wherever a link can’t go: a save the date card, a card for the grandparents or a sign at the venue. If you change something later, the link and the QR code stay the same.

Digital wedding invitation wording examples

• Formal: “Together with their families, Emma Rose and Daniel Brooks invite you to celebrate their marriage on Saturday, June 14, at five o’clock, The Willow Barn. Kindly RSVP by May 10.”
• Casual: “We’re getting married! Come celebrate with us — everything you need to know and the RSVP button are right here.”
• Courthouse or small wedding: “We’re saying ‘I do’ at City Hall and would love to have you there. Lunch to follow — details and RSVP inside.”

When to send it, and what it really costs

Send digital invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding, and a save the date six to eight months ahead if guests need to travel. As for cost, paid invitation services usually charge per design, per guest or for premium features; here the invitation, the RSVPs and the dashboard are free, so the only decision left is the design.

“Hi Jess! We’re getting married and we’d love for you to be there. Here’s our invitation with all the details and the RSVP button: [link]. Can’t wait to celebrate with you — Emma & Dan.”

When the replies start coming in

Every RSVP lands on your dashboard: who is coming, plus-ones, meal choices, allergies and shuttle seats. From there you build the seating chart and download a PDF for each vendor. See it in the dashboard of a sample wedding, and to round out the site, read what to put on a wedding website.