How to publish your digital invitation in Datella
Publishing means exactly one thing: your invitation link is live and openable by guests. You do the sharing. Datella sends nothing on its own. Before that, there is one decision that sticks forever: the link address.
Prerequisites
- An event already created
- The invitation editor opened at least once (the Your invitation tile on Home)
Claim the invitation address first
In the invitation editor, the first screen, "Let's set up your invitation", asks you to type an address: datella.app/event/your-address. The rules are 10–50 lowercase letters, numbers or hyphens, and no reserved words (admin, rsvp and friends). Availability is checked as you type. If you have been in the editor before, the address can still be changed from the Settings tab, until your first publish.
Preview as a guest
The "Preview as guest" button in the editor's top bar opens a phone frame showing the invitation exactly as guests see it, motion and scroll included. Publish once it looks right; tap "Reload" to see them.
Tap "Publish"
There is no confirmation dialog: one tap and the status flips to "Published", with the datella.app/event/your-address link ready to copy. If some sections are still empty, Datella pauses once and offers two ways out: "Publish anyway" or "Hide them and publish" so the empty parts stay hidden.
Share the link yourself
Publishing does NOT send anything to guests: no WhatsApp, no email, no notification. The sharing is yours. For a personal touch, send per-guest links from the RSVP list (tap a guest → "Send via WhatsApp"); that link carries the guest's name, so their RSVP starts pre-filled. For an open invitation, sharing the plain link is enough.
Choose Private or Open mode
The default is Private: only guests holding a personal link can submit an RSVP, and anyone without the link can look but cannot submit an RSVP or wishes. Open mode lets anyone with the link RSVP and leave wishes. That is right for genuinely public events; Datella warns you when you switch it on. Change modes any time from the Settings tab.
Unpublish any time
The same button in the top bar becomes "Unpublish". One tap (no confirmation) and the link immediately shows "Invitation not found" to everyone. Want it back? Tap Publish again; the address stays the same and nothing needs re-sharing from scratch.
Common questions
Do guests get notified when I publish?
No. Publishing only brings the link to life. Every send (WhatsApp, email, copy-link) is triggered by you from the RSVP list or outside the app.
Can the link be changed after publishing?
No. The address locks at the first publish and stays locked even after unpublishing. Before that first publish, it is freely changeable in the Settings tab.
What is the difference between Private and Open?
Private (default): only guests with a personal link can submit an RSVP; anyone else opening the link sees a locked page. Open: anyone with the link can RSVP and leave wishes.
What happens when I unpublish?
The link immediately shows "Invitation not found" to everyone. Your content stays safe in the editor, and you can publish again any time on the same address.
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