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Unsubscribed and suppressed guests

What happens when a guest unsubscribes from email, why their invitations quietly stop, and how to still reach them.

Last reviewed 3 min read

On this page7 sections
  1. How a guest unsubscribes
  2. Addresses that bounce
  3. What suppression does
  4. What you'll see on your side
  5. How to still reach an unsubscribed guest
  6. Common questions
  7. Related articles

Guests are always free to stop receiving email, and InviteBird honors that immediately. This article explains what unsubscribing does, what you'll see on your side, and how to reach a guest who has opted out.

How a guest unsubscribes

Every guest-facing email carries a one-click unsubscribe link in its footer — this is required for this kind of mail, and it works without any login. When a guest clicks it, their email address is added to a suppression list.

Text messages have their own separate opt-out: a guest replies STOP. That's covered in SMS consent and compliance and is independent of email unsubscribing.

Addresses that bounce

An address can also land on the same list without the guest doing anything: when an email to it hard-bounces (the address doesn't exist — often a typo), or when the guest marks an email as spam. Mailing a dead address again would only bounce again, so InviteBird stops. Fix a typo by correcting the guest's email on the Guests tab; a corrected address is a different address and is mailed normally.

What suppression does

Once an address is on the suppression list, InviteBird quietly skips any further host email to it — invitations, reminders, and messages you send are simply not delivered to that guest. Nothing bounces, nothing errors; the send is held back on purpose to respect the guest's choice.

This applies to guest-facing mail across InviteBird, so a guest who unsubscribes stops receiving these emails from any host, not just for one event. It's a choice the guest makes about their own inbox.

Importantly, unsubscribing from email does not stop a guest from taking part. Your event link still works — a suppressed guest can open it, RSVP, and use the messages panel exactly as before. Suppression only holds back the outgoing emails.

What you'll see on your side

  • On the Guests tab, the guest's row wears an Unsubscribed badge.
  • In New message, their row says Unsubscribed from email, and the summary after you send counts them separately — they are not counted as sent.
  • In Messages → Sent & reminders, a send that didn't reach everyone offers See who didn't get it, listing each guest with the reason (unsubscribed, the address doesn't exist, marked as spam, and so on).

For how to read the delivery states themselves, see Reading delivery and open status.

How to still reach an unsubscribed guest

If you need to make sure someone gets the details, you have good options:

  • Use another channel. If the guest has a US or Canada mobile number and opts in, reach them by text instead. See SMS consent and compliance.
  • Share the link directly. Every event has a shareable RSVP link. Send it to the guest yourself — through your own messaging app, a group chat, or in person.
  • Ask them to resubscribe. Unsubscribing is the guest's own setting, so the surest fix is for the guest to opt back in from their side.

Common questions

How does a guest unsubscribe from my emails? They click the unsubscribe link in the footer of any InviteBird email. It takes one click and no login.

Will I be told when a guest unsubscribes? There's no separate notice, but you'll see it wherever it matters: an Unsubscribed badge on their guest row, Unsubscribed from email beside their name when you write a message, and their name under See who didn't get it in Messages → Sent & reminders.

Can an unsubscribed guest still RSVP? Yes. Unsubscribing only stops emails. Your event link still works, and the guest can respond and message you as normal.

Does unsubscribing affect other events or other hosts? For email, yes — suppression is tied to the guest's email address, so they stop receiving these host emails across InviteBird, not just for one event. Their ability to open links and RSVP is unaffected.

A guest says my invitation never arrived — could this be why? It's one possibility — check their guest row for an Unsubscribed badge, or Messages → Sent & reminders → See who didn't get it for the reason. Other causes are covered in A guest didn't receive their invitation.

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