A digital wedding invitation, or e-invitation, is any wedding invitation made and delivered in digital form and read on a screen instead of on paper. It is no longer just a picture forwarded in a chat. Today it can be a full card with your photos, music, a map and an RSVP button. Here is how the main formats differ and how to choose.

The three formats

Image invitations

A JPG or PNG sent by message. Quick to make and anyone can open it, but it only holds what fits in one frame. If the time or venue changes, you have to redesign and resend the image.

Video invitations

A short clip with music, wedding photos and event details. Emotionally powerful, but the files are heavy, hard to edit, and guests have to watch to the end to find the time and address.

Link invitations

A dedicated card opened through a web link. It can hold photos, music, a map, a countdown, an RSVP form, a wishes wall and a bank QR gift box. This is the most popular format today, and it is what most people mean by an online wedding invitation.

E-invitation, online invitation, wedding website

  • Digital or e-invitation: the broadest term, covering images, videos and web cards.
  • Online invitation: an e-invitation delivered as a link and viewed in the browser, with maps, RSVP and more.
  • Wedding website: an extended online invitation that gathers every wedding detail in one place. See /blog/wedding-website-vs-online-invitation.
  • Printing: paper needs it; a link card does not.
  • Faraway guests: paper needs postage or a courier; a link arrives instantly in Messenger or WhatsApp.
  • Photos: paper has room for one or two; a link card holds an album and even video.
  • Directions: paper lists an address; a link card opens turn-by-turn navigation.
  • RSVP: paper means calling everyone; a link card lets guests reply on the card.
  • Corrections: paper means reprinting; a link card is edited online and the link stays the same.
  • Formality for elders: paper is high; a link card depends on how you send it.

For a cost comparison of the two, see /blog/digital-vs-paper-invitation-budget.

  • Fast, whatever the distance: guests in another province or country receive it the moment you send.
  • Editable after sending: change the arrival time or add a venue, and guests who reopen the link see the update.
  • Room for more: your love story, schedule, map and music, none of which fit on a paper card.
  • Guests interact directly: they RSVP, leave wishes and scan a gift QR on the card, so you plan with real numbers instead of guesses.
  • Less legwork: no addressing envelopes for distant friends, leaving your energy for the relatives you visit in person.

Drawbacks, and how to work around them

  • It needs an internet connection: put the essentials (names, date, time, venue) on the first screen and compress photos so the card opens quickly on a slow connection.
  • Elders may prefer paper: give grandparents and senior relatives a printed card with a QR code that opens the online version for the map and album.
  • Social apps show an old preview: after changing your share image or title, refresh the preview with /tools/refresh-link.
  • Hard to read on a phone: avoid busy templates and tiny type, and always preview on a real phone.
  • Cover photo, album and video.
  • Background music that starts when the guest opens the card.
  • A countdown to the wedding and a calendar download.
  • A Google Map for each venue.
  • An RSVP form, a wishes wall and guest signatures.
  • A gift box with account details and bank QR codes.
  • The guest's own name, shown automatically through a personal link.
  • An opening effect such as an envelope or curtain.

Sending an e-invitation politely

  1. Send individually, not to a big group. Use the guest's name and a line about something you share before the link.
  2. Use personal links from your guest list so the card shows each recipient's name and you can see who has viewed and replied.
  3. Check the link preview: the image and title come from your card's share settings.
  4. Match the channel to the person: chat apps for friends and colleagues, a phone call plus a paper card for elders.
  5. Send three to four weeks ahead, then a gentle reminder about a week before.