Remember the days of birthday cards set to music that were delivered to your inbox? Or maybe the Facebook event you created that no one responds to? Both of those are examples of online cards or invites that are poor experiences. They communicate the information but do so poorly, and without a clear expectation from the recipient of what they need to do next. Beyond that, they are poorly designed and boring.

So when Lindsay told me she used Paperless Post the other week to send out a birthday invite for me I was intrigued. What a different type of online card service. As a designer, I was shocked by how beautifully these were designed as well as the depth of options available to the user.

Just a week after Lindsay sent out an invite, I was given the opportunity to also do so. I knew exactly which service I would use when sending out baby shower invites for her, Paperless Post. They were kind enough to send me some credits for free so that I could try out the service and write this review (but all these opinions are mine and I stand behind them).

The creation process

When I jumped into the builder I was pleasantly surprised by how well the user experience flowed and just worked. There were so many beautiful options to choose from. For this occasion, a design by Rifle Paper seemed perfectly appropriate for Lindsay. I chose the card design I liked, put in all the details, and quickly moved to the next step.

I picked the envelope color, added an envelope liner, and picked an appropriate stamp. All the little details really make the process extra delightful. Each additional add-on does cost extra “coins” but simple cards can be created for free.

The recipient email

Once the email invites have been sent out, the reply process is just as wonderful. You are asked to RSVP right at the top of the email and can do so with one click. You can also choose to send a reply publicly or privately to the event coordinator. If publicly, it appears on the invite landing page where you can see the guest list, who’s attending, and a special message from the host.

Managing responses

There is nothing worse than hosting a party and having no idea what the total head count will be. With Paperless Post you can send personalized reminders to recipients that haven’t responded to get them to commit (or decline). You can see who has opened the email and can see any of the responses from guests that are private.

All in all, the service, design, and experience with Paperless Post, both as a guest and a host, is something I haven’t seen from any other online invite available today. I highly recommend you check it out and maybe create a party just so you can use the service.