BEFORE YOU INVITE YOUR PEOPLE
How to send birthday invitations by WhatsApp or text
A birthday invitation can disappear under a day’s worth of WhatsApp messages. The address is somewhere above the photos. A few people have said yes, but you’re not sure who they’re bringing. Send one link for the details and replies.
Get the details ready first
Add the date, arrival time, full address, and reply deadline to your invitation. Open it on your phone and check that you can find each one.
If it’s a surprise, check who’s in the group before sending. Include when guests need to arrive to keep it that way.
For a children’s birthday, say whether the invitation includes siblings and whether an adult should stay. Put a finish or collection time on the invitation. Parents shouldn’t need a second conversation to work out the afternoon.
For a birthday meal, make clear whether guests should arrive together or can drop in. If there’s a booking with a fixed start, give that time plainly.
Be specific when inviting a household
A message to one parent can easily sound like an invitation to the whole family. Name the child or the people you’re inviting, and explain any arrangements for accompanying adults.
If someone asks to bring a sibling or friend, check your space and plans before answering. Once you’ve agreed, add them to the headcount too. A yes in the chat still needs a place at the table.
Write the message you’d actually send
Start with their name, say what you’re inviting them to, and add the link. Paste the link into the message itself, even if you’re also sending an invitation image.
Keep the first message readable without opening anything: who’s celebrating, the date, and an invitation to come. The page can hold the full address and longer arrangements. If guests need to make travel plans, give them enough confirmed information to start.
Read the note once as if you’d received it from someone you hadn’t spoken to in a while. Would you recognise the occasion and know what to do next? A friendly sentence is more useful than a long formal opening.
The invitation
Hi [name], we’d love you to join us for [name]’s birthday on [date]. Details and RSVP by [deadline]: [invitation link].
A reminder
Hi [name], can you make it on [date]? We’re sorting out numbers, so please let us know by [deadline]: [invitation link].
A children’s party
Hi [parent name], we’d love [child name] to come to [birthday child]’s party on [date], [start time]–[finish time], at [venue]. [Adult arrangement]. Please RSVP by [deadline]: [invitation link].
Send it where they’ll see it
An existing family group can work if everyone in it is invited. Send individual messages when the invitation is for particular people. It saves the awkward question about who can bring whom.
Copy your Harmony invitation link into WhatsApp or your text app and send it. Guests open it and reply without an app or account.
Before sharing it widely, send the finished message to one person and ask them to open the link. Check the invitation, not just whether the message arrived. Make sure the date, address, and reply deadline agree with the image you’re sending.
If someone else is forwarding invitations for you, ask them to use the same link and keep the reply request in the message. Otherwise, guests may send their answers back to several different relatives.
A heart reaction isn’t a headcount
If someone answers in the chat, check how many people they mean and add the reply to your guest list. You’ll still have a little following up to do.
If plans change, put the new time or address in a message as well as on the invitation. Don’t leave people to discover the change when they’re getting ready to leave.
Read receipts only tell you a message was opened. They don’t tell you whether a partner is coming or whether a family needs three places or four. For an unclear answer, ask one direct question rather than guessing.
Before reminding someone, check whether they answered you elsewhere. Nobody enjoys being chased for a reply they already gave over the phone.
Send changes in the message itself
If the plan changes, begin with the change. Put the new time or address in the message so someone who reads only the first line still has the important detail. Keep the invitation page up to date as well.
For a last-minute change, contact anyone you haven’t heard back from. A message in a busy group can be missed, particularly when people are already travelling.
A change of venue
A change for [occasion] on [date]: we’ll now be at [new venue and full address]. The time is still [time]. We’ve updated the invitation too: [invitation link]. Please let me know you’ve seen this.
Frequently asked questions
Does Harmony send the WhatsApp message for me?
You copy the invitation link or prepared message into WhatsApp and send it yourself. You can also send invitations by email through Harmony.
What if someone would rather call?
Take their reply over the phone and add it to your guest list. Ask how many people are coming and any food questions you still need answered.
Should I send the invitation image or the link?
You can send both. Put the link in the message underneath the image so people can tap it. Keep the date, address, and reply instructions on the invitation page too.