A QR code has two uses in a wedding invitation. The first is a general code for the invitation that you print on paper cards or signs, so the guest scans it with their phone camera and the digital invitation opens. The second is a personal entry ticket for each guest who confirmed, with an optional table number, which the organiser scans at the door of the hall with a phone camera. It helps if you printed cards or want to organise entry, and you don't need it for a small family gathering.
What is a QR code in a wedding invitation? #
A QR code is the black-and-white square a phone camera scans to open a link. In a digital wedding invitation, that link is the invitation itself or the guest's entry ticket. The idea is simple: instead of anyone typing a long link, they point the camera at the code and arrive directly.
The difference between the two uses matters, because each serves a different purpose:
| General QR code for the invitation | Personal entry ticket | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is it for? | Anyone who sees the code | One guest who confirmed |
| What does it open? | The invitation page | The guest's ticket |
| Where is it used? | Paper card, sign, envelope | On the guest's phone at the door |
| Who scans it? | The guest | The organiser at the door |
| The benefit | Links paper to the digital invitation | Organises entry and shows the table |
Use one: a general QR code that opens the invitation #
Many families like to keep the paper card, especially for elders or for those who receive the invitation by hand. This is where the general code comes in: you print it on the paper card, so the guest has a beautiful card to keep and a digital invitation with the map, the countdown and the RSVP.
Where do you put it?
- On the paper card: in a quiet corner on the back or at the bottom, with a small line such as "Scan the code to open the invitation and confirm your attendance".
- On the welcome sign in the hall: so guests can open the invitation and see the programme.
- On a small card with a gift or a favour: if you want the link to stay with the guest after the wedding.
If you are undecided between paper and a link in the first place, the general code combines them. The comparison is set out in digital vs paper wedding invitations.
Use two: personal entry tickets for each guest #
At large weddings, or events where you want attendance limited to those invited, entry tickets are useful. Every guest who confirms has a ticket with their own QR code, which can carry their table number. At the door, the guest shows the ticket on their phone, and the organiser scans it with a phone camera.
Entry becomes clearer for everyone: the guest knows their table without asking, and the reception team knows the person entering is invited, without long paper lists to search through.
Tickets are tied to the RSVP, so anyone who hasn't confirmed won't have one. Make sure your guests understand why replying matters. If you want to understand RSVP from the ground up, here is what RSVP means on a wedding invitation.
What are the benefits of QR at a wedding? #
- It links paper to digital: those who love a paper card don't lose the advantages of a digital invitation.
- It makes access easy: scanning a code is faster than typing a link, especially for people who don't deal with links much.
- It organises entry: at large weddings, a ticket shortens the wait at the door.
- It directs the guest to their table: the table number on the ticket saves asking and searching.
- It avoids awkwardness: the door team scans a ticket instead of asking the guest for their name and how they are related.
Privacy and etiquette: what should you watch for? #
The general code opens the invitation for anyone who scans it. A Koroty invitation is hidden from search engines and only people who have the link can see it, but the printed code is the link itself. So put it only where your guests will see it: on the cards you hand them, or inside the hall. Don't put it on a sign in the street or in a public post.
The ticket is personal. Kindly ask your guests not to forward their ticket to others, because it is in their name and for their seats.
Tone matters. Don't write "Entry by ticket only" in a sharp tone. A line such as "We would be grateful if you could show your ticket on arrival, to help us welcome you smoothly" does the job gracefully.
Think of elders. Some won't know how to open the ticket on their phone. Put someone at the door who knows the family and greets them by name, and don't let the code become a condition that embarrasses anyone.
How do you use QR on Koroty? #
- Design your invitation and create its link. Designing and previewing is free with no account, and the preview link is free and needs signing in with a code sent to your email.
- For the general code: download the invitation's QR code as an image, then send it to the print shop or place it in the paper card design.
- For tickets: switch on the entry tickets option, so every guest who confirms has a ticket with a QR code, and add a table number if you wish.
- Send the invitations to your guests, each with their personal link, so they confirm their attendance.
- On the day: the organiser scans the tickets at the door with a phone camera.
If you change something in the invitation after printing, the link stays the same, so the printed code still works and opens the updated version once you press "Update".
Tips for the door team #
- Choose at least two people for the welcome, one to scan and one to greet and sort out any problem.
- Try scanning before the wedding with one ticket, so the first attempt isn't in front of guests.
- Charge the phones fully, and make sure there is an internet connection at the door.
- Prepare a backup list from the guest file you download from your dashboard, for anyone who forgot their phone or whose battery died.
- A smile before the phone. Guests have come to celebrate with you, not to pass through a checkpoint.
To be sure of every detail of the day, go through the wedding planning checklist.
When don't you need QR? #
- If the invitation is digital only and was sent on WhatsApp, the guest opens it with a tap and no general code is needed.
- At small family gatherings where everyone knows each other, tickets add formality nobody needs.
- If there are no assigned tables and no restrictions on entry, a ticket adds nothing important.
The simple rule: the general code is for paper, and tickets are for large or organised weddings. Otherwise, the link alone is enough.
Frequently asked questions #
Does a guest need a special app to scan a QR code? #
On most modern phones the ordinary camera is enough to scan the code. The invitation itself opens in any browser, with no app and no account.
Is the table number required on the ticket? #
No, the table number is optional. Add it if the tables are assigned in advance, and leave it out if seating is free.
Are tickets compulsory? #
No, they are an option you switch on if you need it. You can use the invitation and the RSVP without tickets at all.
Should I put the general code in a WhatsApp message? #
There is no need, because the link in the message opens with a tap. The general code belongs on paper and signs.
Checking guests in at the door #
The invitation QR code and an entry ticket are different things. For door check-in with a ticket per confirmed guest, see QR entry tickets and guest check-in for weddings.
The bottom line #
A QR code in a wedding invitation is a useful tool when it is used in the right place: a general code that links your paper card to the digital invitation, and personal tickets that organise entry at large weddings. Use it graciously, think of elders, and don't add it if you don't need it. Start with your invitation and decide afterwards whether you need the code. Design your invitation for free on Koroty.
