Katelyn Hartsfield, Lakewood Country Club

If you're planning a private event or wedding, have you considered skipping the traditional, paper invitation and sending out an electronic one? Electronic invitations are an up-and-coming trend in the private event & wedding world, and there are FREE websites out there that help make your life much easier when it comes to sending out invitations and collecting RSVP’s. Save yourself the time, effort, and money that go into creating and sending out paper invitations: Eventbrite.com and Evite.com can do all of the work for you!

The Convenience of E-Invitations

With Eventbrite.com and Evite.com, you can create your own customized invitation so that guests can quickly and easily RSVP for your event. The invitation link can be sent to a guest list via email, text, or posted to social media. Not only is the creation process simple, but your guests will be able to RSVP in seconds instead of having to mail an invitation back in and hoping it arrives on time and doesn't get lost in the mail. Guests are more likely to respond if the method is more convenient for them, and this in turn helps to achieve an accurate head count.

Perfect for All Types of Events, Including Weddings & Receptions

You can send an electronic invitation for any type of event, regardless of its size or type. Electronic invitations are perfect for small private parties to huge galas. If entry to your event is not complimentary, there's also an option to allow your guests to purchase a ticket online. Once your guests RSVP, both websites can track registered attendees, guests of attendees, and contact information.

Easily Organize Your Event in 3 Easy Steps with Evite or Eventbrite

1) Create An Event Webpage

The process for creating an event webpage on both of these websites is incredibly simple. Fill in the name of your event, the description of your event, its date, address, and any other important details (e.g., deadline for RSVP's, dress code, alcohol restrictions). Once you have everything set, you can decide whether tickets are complimentary or you can create a ticket price.

2) Email Invitations and Promote Your Event

The next step is to write a personalized email to send along with your invitation to your contact list. It is easy to promote your event through social media websites like Facebook or LinkedIn by copying the event link to your newest post. You can choose to list your event as private or public, limiting who has access to view the details of your invitation.

3) Manage Your RSVP's

Lastly, you can manage your event and RSVP's via both websites. You can not only track the attendance list, but on the day of the event, you can print out a guest list with the names of everyone who has registered. You can use this sheet to check registered guests in.           

Using Eventbrite.com or Evite.com is a great way to get responses for your events in a timely manner. Electronic invitations are much easier to create and cost much less than traditional invitations, and you get the added benefit of a quicker, more accurate response. You can also track all of the email addresses you have used for your past events. That way, you can send the same people invites to future events without having to search for their email addresses. Electronic invitations are the new trend for event planners and wedding planners. I encourage you to take advantage of these amazing, user-friendly tools that help make the planning process that much easier.