Wedding website vs. group text vs. mass SMS: which do guests actually see?
Last updated
Mass SMS wins for anything time-sensitive. Wedding websites are great reference material but guests rarely return to them after RSVPing. Email gets opened by roughly 20% of recipients. Group texts reach everyone in the thread but cap out around 20 to 32 people, expose every phone number, and generate reply-all noise. Use a website for standing details, and individual text messages for anything that changes.
Use all three, deliberately
- Website: the permanent reference. Schedule, dress code, hotel blocks, FAQ. Free with txt.wedding.
- Email: the long version, sent early, when detail matters more than speed.
- Text: anything guests need to act on within 48 hours.
Channel comparison
| Channel | Reach | Best for | Fails at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass SMS (individual) | Very high | Day-of changes, reminders, logistics | Long-form detail |
| Wedding website | Low after RSVP | Schedule, travel, registry, FAQ | Anything urgent |
| About 20% opened | Save-the-dates, long updates | Wedding-day reach | |
| Group text | High but capped | The wedding party | Lists over ~30, privacy, reply-all |
| Social post | Unpredictable | Photos afterwards | Guests who aren't on it |
Common questions
Do I still need a wedding website?
Yes, for standing information. txt.wedding includes one free at txt.wedding/w/your-names with a guest sign-up form built in.
Why do so few guests revisit a wedding website?
Most guests visit once to RSVP or check the date and never return. Anything that changes after that visit needs to be pushed to them, not posted.