I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a good party! We’re waist deep (because knee deep isn’t deep enough) into our home renovation, and have been working on that day and night, seven days a week. Finish Line work has somehow been getting done too, but all of it requires a 3 AM bedtime to keep the wheels turning. I know that when this is finally over that there will have to be a massive celebration. When it’ll be done is anyone’s guess, but sheer will will make it happen. Since this will be last minute (as usual), there won’t be time to send out formal invitations. Fortunately, for us, there’s Evite.
Technology has replaced good etiquette in many ways. In 2018 (I got it right for a change), you’re likely to only receive physical invitations to formal events like weddings. With everyone so busy, we’re all looking for shortcuts. Since (almost) everyone is online, why not use online invitations for your events? My wife and I have used Evite for years. Evite allows you to create guest lists for your event. Evite provides you with templates for the event of your choice, including graphics and text that can be edited. You may also create your own from scratch. Many templates are free, but “fancier” ones do include a charge. Categories that have pre-made templates include: Birthday Parties, Fall/Winter, Babies & Kids, Spring/Summer, Get Togethers, Sports, Organizations, and Weddings. See that, wedding invitations can be done online too! Evite also offers physical cards as well as ecards for just about any occasion.
When planning your next event, visit www.evite.com. Next, create a user account, or if you’re a Facebook member, you can choose to log in with your existing Facebook account. After signing in, hover the mouse (don’t click) over “Invitations” in the top left to choose a design for your invitation from one of the existing categories that your event would fall under, or, click on “Design Your Own” if none of the categories apply. Make your selection, and you’ll be presented with invitations which are clearly marked whether they’re free or premium. Click on the one you’d like to customize, then fill out the pertinent details of the event, such as, title, event type, host name, location, etc. On the right side of the screen you’re able to edit settings to your liking, including whether or not you wish to receive notifications when a guest RSVPs, if the guest list should be visible to all you’ve invited, if guests can bring a guest(s), and even link an Amazon wish list. Next, you’ll actually invite people to the event by adding the e-mail addresses of the special guests. You can enter them manually, or import your e-mail contacts to make life easier. Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook.com users can easily add their contacts to Evite’s address book. Note that just because you’ve imported a contact doesn’t mean that the person has automatically been invited to your event. You’ll need to click “Add to Invite” to make that happen. As you might expect, Evite also has a mobile app. You can find it in the App Store or on Google Play. The app gives you the option of texting invited guests in addition (or instead) of e-mailing them.
Evite makes creating invitations and keeping track of RSVPs easy. You’re e-mailed the second you get a response to your invitation, and you can even see what guests will bring to the party and how many of each they’re planning on contributing. While not everyone is online and some will need to be personally contacted, online invitations are quicker and easier for the host and guest alike. Your next party is just a click away.