Group chat version
One message, no formal reply needed.
Birthday drinks! [Date] from [From] at [Bar and address]. Come by whenever. Thumbs up this message if you think you'll make it.
Birthday drinks invitation
A short, friendly invitation for birthday drinks at a bar or pub. Come when you can, leave when you like.
When to use it
- You're marking your birthday with drinks after work or on a weekend afternoon.
- People can drop in and out, so you need a rough idea of numbers rather than exact ones.
Preview
Drinks on
Chris's birthday
- Thursday 19 November
- From 6pm
- The Corner Hotel, 57 Swan Street
The card shows example details until you add your own.
The wording
Email subject
Birthday drinks on [Date]
Hi all, I'm having a few birthday drinks on [Date] from [From] at [Bar and address], and I'd love you to come. Drop in whenever suits and stay as long as you like. I'll be in [area of the venue, e.g. the back courtyard]. Could you let me know by [Reply by] if you think you'll make it? Just so I can tell the bar roughly how many of us there'll be. Cheers, [Your name]
Words in [brackets] are the details to fill in, here or after you paste it.
Variations
The same invitation, adjusted for a different setting or channel. Your details carry over.
After-work version for colleagues
Keeps it light for a work crowd.
Hi team, I'm having birthday drinks at [Bar and address] on [Date] from [From]. Totally casual, come for one or stay for a few. Let me know if you're keen by [Reply by]. [Your name]
What to ask in the RSVP
Ask only what changes your plans. For this kind of event, that's:
- Do you think you'll make it? (Yes / Maybe / No)For drop-in drinks, a rough count is enough. "Maybe" is fine here.
Leave out
- Dietary requirements: you're not serving food.
- Plus-ones: for drop-in drinks, people simply bring them.
More on this in what to ask guests when they RSVP.
Tips before you send
- Send it one to two weeks ahead.
- If you're expecting more than about ten people, call the venue and ask whether they take bookings for an area.
- Post where you're sitting in the chat when you arrive.
More birthdays & parties templates
Relaxed birthday party invitation
A warm, low-key invitation for a birthday at home, in a park or at a bar. It says when, where and what to bring, and asks for one clear reply.
Preview and copy →Kids' birthday party invitation
A cheerful invitation parents can act on: the times, the place, whether to stay or drop off, and a request for allergies.
Preview and copy →Milestone birthday party invitation (30th, 40th, 50th)
A celebratory invitation for a big-number birthday party, with room for a dress code and a clear reply date.
Preview and copy →Sending it by email, text or WhatsApp, and tracking replies
- Email: paste the wording into a new message, use the subject line above, and put guests in BCC if they don't all know each other.
- Text or WhatsApp: use the short version. Send it to each guest, or to a group chat if everyone already knows each other, and pin it so the details are easy to find.
- Tracking replies: for a handful of guests, a note on your phone works. For more, collect answers in one place, like a shared spreadsheet or a simple online form with the RSVP questions above.
- EvntBuild: event software that will send invitations by email, text and WhatsApp, with RSVP forms that only ask what applies and replies kept in one place. It's opening soon and isn't live yet. Join the EvntBuild waitlist to hear when it opens.