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A guest didn't receive their invitation

Why a guest may not have received an email or text invitation — wrong address, spam, opt-outs, or SMS region limits — and how to get it to them.

Last reviewed 4 min read

On this page8 sections
  1. Symptoms
  2. Reading the delivery status first
  3. Most likely causes
  4. Resolution steps
  5. If a guest opted out
  6. If the issue continues
  7. Common questions
  8. Related articles

A guest says the invitation never arrived. It's a stressful moment when you're counting on people to reply, but the cause is almost always one of a handful of things you can check and fix yourself from your Guests tab. Start with the guest's delivery status, then work through the list below.

Symptoms

  • A guest tells you they never got the invitation.
  • A guest's row shows Bounced or Not delivered.
  • A guest's row stays at Sent and never moves to Delivered or Opened.

Reading the delivery status first

Every guest row carries a delivery badge that tells you what happened after you sent:

  • Sent means it left InviteBird. Delivered means the guest's mail server or carrier accepted it. Opened means they viewed it.
  • Bounced (email) or Not delivered (text) means it couldn't be delivered — usually a wrong address or a number that can't receive it.
  • A row stuck at Sent that never advances often points to an opt-out or to filtering on the receiving end.

For a fuller walk-through of each state, see Reading delivery and open status.

Most likely causes

  • A wrong or mistyped address. A small typo in the email address or phone number sends the invitation nowhere. This is the most common cause of a bounce.
  • It's in the spam or promotions folder. Email invitations can land outside the main inbox, especially on a first send. Invitations come from a personal "[your name] via InviteBird" sender, which helps, but some providers still route new senders to Promotions.
  • The guest opted out. If a guest previously unsubscribed from your emails, or replied STOP to texts, InviteBird will not deliver to them — this protects you and respects their choice. There's no way to force a message through to someone who opted out.
  • A text to a number outside the US or Canada. Text invitations reach US and Canada mobile numbers only. Numbers elsewhere are simply not texted.
  • The number can't receive texts. Landlines and some virtual numbers can't receive SMS at all.
  • Carrier or inbox filtering. Occasionally a mail provider or mobile carrier filters or delays a message beyond InviteBird's control.

Resolution steps

  1. Check the guest's delivery badge. Bounced or Not delivered points to a bad address or a blocked number; a stuck Sent often means an opt-out or filtering.
  2. Verify the contact details. Open the guest and confirm the email address or phone number is correct, and fix any typo.
  3. Ask the guest to check spam and promotions for an email from [your name] via InviteBird, and to mark it "not spam" so future messages arrive in the inbox.
  4. Add an email address for a guest who can't be texted (a number outside the US/Canada, or a landline). Email is the most reliable way to reach them.
  5. Resend the invitation from the guest's row. See Resending invitations and sending RSVP reminders.
  6. Share the RSVP link directly. Every event has a shareable link you can copy and send yourself through any app — a dependable fallback when a channel is blocked.

If a guest opted out

An unsubscribed or STOP'd guest will keep being skipped on every send — this is by design, and you can't override it from your side. Your options are to send them the RSVP link another way (through your own text or chat), or to ask them to opt back in themselves. If they want back on email, they can re-subscribe from the footer of any past InviteBird email.

If the issue continues

If delivery still fails with correct details and no opt-out, ask the guest to try adding your sender to their contacts, then resend. If it still won't arrive, contact us at info@invitebird.com with the event and the guest so we can look into it.

Common questions

A guest swears the address is right but it keeps bouncing. Double-check for invisible issues: a trailing space, a swapped letter, or an old address. If it's truly correct and still bounces, their mail server may be rejecting outside senders — reach the guest another way and send them the RSVP link directly.

Why did some guests get it instantly and one didn't? Delivery depends on each guest's provider and details. A single missing guest is usually a typo, an opt-out, or a number that can't receive texts — check that one row's badge and contact details.

Can I resend to everyone who hasn't opened yet? Yes — you can send a reminder to the guests who haven't responded without re-blasting everyone. See Resending invitations and sending RSVP reminders.

My guest is overseas and didn't get the text. Texts only go to US and Canada mobile numbers. Add an email address for that guest, or send them the RSVP link yourself.

Is there a way to see if it landed in spam? Not directly — InviteBird can see "delivered," but not which folder. If the badge says Delivered but the guest can't find it, ask them to search their spam and promotions for "InviteBird."

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