In a few words
A digital invitation is an event web page sent with a link on WhatsApp: date, place with a map, schedule, music and photos, and each guest confirms their attendance. The most complete ones add a pass with a QR code to control entry. At Bida Events they cost between US$ 2 and US$ 6 per event.
What is a digital invitation?
It is a web page made for a single event. Nothing to install: the guest taps the link they got on WhatsApp and it opens in their phone browser, with buttons to get there, add to calendar and RSVP.
Unlike an image or a PDF, it can be updated: if the time or the venue changes, you fix it once and everyone sees the new version on the same link.
What a digital invitation should include
What the guest needs to know
- Date and time, with a countdown and a button to add it to the calendar.
- Location with a map and a “Get directions” button.
- Schedule and dress code; gift registry if there is one.
What makes it feel like the event's own
- Cover with your photos and an animated opening.
- Background music that the guest can pause.
- Your own colors and fonts; in Bida Events you can also change every text.
What's useful to whoever organizes
- RSVP per guest, with the number of people assigned to each one.
- Pass with a QR code and door check-in on the day of the event.
- PDF or Excel list for the venue and the catering.
Digital, printed or an image over WhatsApp
| What you compare | Digital | Printed | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrives instantly | Included | Not included | Included |
| Map in one tap | Included | Not included | Not included |
| RSVP per guest | Included | Not included | Not included |
| Changes without reprinting | Included | Not included | Not included |
| QR check-in at the door | Included | Not included | Not included |
| Printable keepsake | Included | Included | Not included |
Many families combine both: the digital one for everyone and a few printed ones. That is why the Bida Events Premium level includes a print-ready version.
How much a digital invitation costs
At Bida Events it is free with the basics and costs between US$ 2 and US$ 6 per event, in one payment, depending on what you use. What changes the price is not the design: it is what the invitation does for you.
| Level | Today's price |
|---|---|
| Basic | US$ 2 |
| Standard | US$ 4 |
| Premium | US$ 6 |
If you build several invitations a year, or sell them to your clients, the plans give you your own dashboard from US$ 5 per month, with no commission per invitation. See all prices.
RSVP and QR door check-in
RSVP per guest and the QR pass turn the invitation into the event guest list. This is how it works in the Bida Events Premium level (in Standard, the guest confirms on WhatsApp with a message that already carries their name and how many people are coming):
Before the event
- Each guest gets their link, confirms how many people are coming (never more than assigned) and receives their pass with a QR code.
- The organizer sees in their dashboard who confirmed, who hasn't replied and how many people are coming in total.
On the day of the event, at the door
- Whoever receives guests opens the door link on their phone and scans the pass with the camera; if it does not read, they type the short code.
- The screen shows the name, how many people may enter and how many have already come in. A used pass can't be used again.
- An entry made by mistake is undone on the spot, and the door link can be deactivated or changed.
When to send the digital invitation
How far ahead depends on the type of event. For reference:
| Event | Send it |
|---|---|
| Wedding | Between 6 and 8 weeks before |
| XV years | Between 4 and 6 weeks before |
| Baptism | Between 3 and 4 weeks before |
| Graduation | Between 3 and 4 weeks before |
| Birthday | Between 2 and 3 weeks before |
In every case, a reminder a week before with the same link helps close the list.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Sending it without the map: the question asked most on the day of the event is “how do I get there?”.
- Asking guests to confirm “by message”: replies get lost in the chat.
- Not saying how many people each invitation includes: the venue list never closes.
- Forgetting the reminder: a week before, resending the same link raises RSVPs.
Invitations by type of event
Each event has its own sections (godparents, entourage, graduating class…). See the designs and samples for each: