Why does your event need Online Invitation Cards?

E-Invitations are electronic invitations. They are invites sent through electronic means, like email or messaging apps. E-Invitations are quickly becoming the preferred type of invites, replacing traditional RSVP and Save The Date cards. Soon, they will be the global norm. E-Invitations have a number of features and advantages which have made them the preferred invitation medium. Which is why this article is going to give you all the information you need to make that perfect E-Invitation for your event.

Types of E-Invitations You can Use

E-Invites or E-Invitations come in a variety of types. Think of any common visual digital medium. You can probably make an E-Invite from it. The most common ones are:

1. Digital cards and flyers

Digital cards in picture formats are the most common type of E-Invite. They are the easiest to make and can be designed on short notice. Digital cards are extremely versatile. They are commonly used for casual events when you have a personal relationship with the invitee. Another time they are perfect for is when designing an open invitation.

Digital cards are designed to look like an actual single page card. They are not particularly big and can look cluttered very easily. A card with too much information on it can be difficult to read, especially when opened on a smaller screen like a phone. This is why invitations with no “To…” section look neater and more pleasing. Additionally, skipping the “To…” section also allows the sender to include the full address on the card. For exhibition invitations and the like, a digital flyer is a convenient way of making sure that people don’t lose it, or forget the address or time of the event.

2. Videos

Video invitations are perfect for close, private events like a small wedding, baby shower, or a wedding anniversary. They are also used for corporate events like a new launch or a factory opening. Schools and other educational institutions also use videos to invite current and potential students to events. Video invitations can highlight the reason the event is happening, be it a new location, a couple, or any other factor.

3. Animations

Animations are a fun way to craft an invitation. They can be cute, cartoon style designs or have a more mature, realistic look. For corporate invitations, well designed animations can be used instead of hiring actors for a traditional video. Cartoon style invitations can be used for anything ranging from familial events to public movie screening invites.

4. Email Invitations

The previous types are documents that can be sent through email. In this type, the email is the invitation. Sounds boring? It doesn’t have to be. These invitations can be designed to be as appealing as required.

Types of Events For which E-invitation can be used

What kind of event can you use an E-Invite for? Well, the simple answer is that E-Invites are suitable for any event, no matter how formal or casual. Here are some events you can use an E-Invite for:

1. Weddings

2. Birthday Party

3. Dinner Parties

4. Family Barbeque

5. Company Family Day

6. Business Inauguration

As you can see, many of the events on that list are completely unrelated to each other. The locations range from family homes to corporate organizations. Their guests are varied in terms of age, interests and their relationship with the sender. The formality of the events is also different. A family barbecue is a casual get together, while a wine tasting is a generally a formal event. And yet, E-Invites can be sent for all of them.

A large reason for the versatility of an E-Invitation is the way it can be customized. We will get to the details of this aspect of the E-Invitation in the next section.

Main Features of an E-Invitation

E-Invites have many great features that make them a great invitation option:

1. Extensive available templates

With E-Invites, you don’t have to worry about designing your own invitation, though you can if you want to. There are countless websites offering a variety of E-Invite templates for every occasion imaginable. And hey, if you’re hosting an event you can’t find a template for, don’t worry. There are a lot of generic templates you can personalize.

2. Highly customizable

Templates across most platforms are highly customizable, regardless of type. In digital cards and flyers, you can change and reposition anything from fonts, to word and picture placement. So, don’t worry if you have to use a generic design. You can still make it entirely your own, so much so that it is unrecognizable as its template.

3. Maps

Some E-Invitations also allow you to add an embedded map, or a map link to the venue. In case the invite is a video, you can add the map link in your email. This is a good way to ensure that none of your guests make a wrong turn on the way to your event.

4. Calendar

Another feature is one that adds your event to your guests’ online calendar. This way, none of your guests will have to deal with any appointment clashes, and you won’t have any last minute cancellations because they forgot to manually add your event to their calendar.

5. Save the Date

Some platforms also help you design a Save the Date digital card or email, to be sent a few days before the actual invitation. The card is also customizable, though not to the extent of the actual invitation. This is so guests can mark their calendar for the event, ensuring that no double booking occurs.

6. Invitation tracking

You can even track your invitations after you’ve sent them! With physical invitations, there is always a risk that they might get lost in the mail. With E-Invitations, you can rest easy. Firstly, unless it is a personal or an open invitation, the invite will likely be sent via an email. And there are sites that allow you to check whether your invitations have been received. So, if any of the invitations are sent to invalid email addresses, you can find out immediately and take rectifying actions.

7. RSVP

Like with physical invitations, some E-Invites have an RSVP option. You don’t need to send out the invitations and then wonder how many people will show up. Guests can respond instantly to let you know. If they have not responded within a certain time, you can also send them a reminder email. An RSVP option is the best way to finalize the guest list in advance, since many aspects of an event are dependent on the number of people attending.

These are the most salient features of E-Invites. Next, we’ll see some of the advantages of E-Invites, when compared to traditional paper invitations.

Advantages of the E-Invitation

Many of the features described in the previous section can also be found in traditional invitations. Now you know that E-Invites are just as good. But what makes them better?

Here are some of the advantages that E-Invitations have over conventional invitations:

1. Faster

E-Invites are instant. The moment after you press ‘Send’, you can start expecting responses. No more waiting two weeks for the postal service, or finding a convenient time to hand deliver the invite. Also, you don’t need to go through the gruelling process of choosing a store, finding a design and finally getting your invitations printed. With the internet at your fingertips, a few well chosen keywords will give you a template that is perfect for you. Or, if you want to design your own E-Invite, you can hire a graphic designer who can give you a completely unique invitation in as little time as a few hours.

2. Reliable delivery

E-Invites are either sent by messaging apps, or more commonly, by email. Either way, they are sure to reach your guests. And as mentioned earlier, you can always check if any of your invitations have bounced. So you will never have a guest who simply didn’t receive their invitation.

3. More options and better pricing

Picture this: You go to a store and ask for wedding invitations. They give you fifty options, but none of them seem right. By the time you leave, three hours have passed, and you still don’t have an invitation finalized. Sounds frustrating, right?

With E-Invites, not only do you have more options than you can imagine, but also the freedom to design your perfect invitation. Whether you want your invitation to be elegant, quirky or bowtie themed, you can have it. And it’s affordable too! Since you aren’t paying for the fancy cardstock paper or mailing the invitations, you can use a paid service to get the full E-Invitation package instead. For events that are less formal and on a smaller scale, you even have a lot of free options to choose from.

4. Environmentally friendly

E-Invites are a far more environmentally sustainable option than formal invitations, especially ones that are sent in bulk. Unless you shell out extra for the fully recycled paper invitations, the amount of paper being used is a blow to the environment.

5. More professional

For events at the office, a generic email blast isn’t going to cut it anymore. One way to up your game is to send email invites, preferably customized with your company’s colours. This makes the invitation seem more professional.

6. Makes every event matter

Fun invites for casual brunches or digital flyers for book readings at the local library; with E-Invites, every event is a big deal! An actual invitation makes guests feel wanted, like they are an integral part of your event. For small and casual events, an E-Invite can be anything from a memorable quirk to a gesture of genuine appreciation.

Where and how to make E-Invites?

There are three ways to make an E-Invite: free platforms, paid platforms, or hiring a graphic designer.

1. You can use InvitationPanda to choose from 500+ professionally designed cards. Each card is a premium quality card used

2. On paid platforms, you can get all the features mentioned in this article. The pricing differs based on package and number of invites.

3. You can also hire a graphic designer to craft a completely unique personal or corporate invitation.