A QR code lets guests reply from their phone in seconds instead of typing an address. It also adds a way for things to go wrong after the cards are printed: a code that stops working, opens the wrong page or will not scan in a dim hall. This guide covers the decisions that matter: what the code should point to, how big to print it, what to avoid, and how to test it.
Our guide on putting your website on the invitation covers where the code goes in an invitation suite and a basic print checklist. This page goes one step further.
Static or dynamic: will the code still work in a year?
There are two kinds of QR code, and the difference only shows when it is too late:
| Static code | Dynamic (redirect) code | |
|---|---|---|
| What it contains | Your website address itself | A short link owned by the QR generator, which forwards to your address |
| Works without the generator | Yes, for as long as your website is online | No; if the generator's paid plan or trial ends, the code can stop working |
| Can you change where it goes after printing? | No | Yes, while the plan is active |
| Tracks scans | No | Often yes |
| Best for | Printed wedding cards | Marketing campaigns where the target changes |
For a wedding, a static code is usually the safer choice. Many free generators make dynamic codes by default, and some stop forwarding them after a trial period. Before you print, scan the code and check that the address shown is your own website, not the generator's.
If you choose a static code, the address it contains must not change. Decide your website address first, then make the code.
Which page should it open?
Point the code at the page guests need most:
- Your website's main address is the safest choice. It works for the invitation, the details and the reply form, and it is the same address you print as text.
- The reply page directly saves one tap, but if the reply form closes after your RSVP deadline, the code leads to a closed form.
- A form on another service splits your information in two places and adds another address that can change.
On a reply card, the main address with the label "Scan to RSVP" works well, as long as the reply form is easy to find from the first screen.
How big should a wedding QR code be?
A widely used rule of thumb is that a code can be scanned from about ten times its own width. Very long addresses make denser codes, which need more space to scan reliably.
| Where it is printed | Typical scanning distance | Suggested size |
|---|---|---|
| Invitation, details or reply card | 15–25 cm, held in the hand | 2.5–3 cm (1–1.2 in) |
| Table card or place card | 30–50 cm | 4–5 cm (1.5–2 in) |
| Welcome sign on an easel | 1–2 m | 10–20 cm (4–8 in) |
| Poster or screen across a room | 3 m or more | 30 cm (12 in) or more |
These sizes include no margin. Add a clear white border around the code: the code's creator, DENSO WAVE, specifies a quiet zone four modules wide on every side.
Logos, colors and other design risks
Designers like to make QR codes match the invitation. Some changes are safe; others make the code fail on some phones.
- A logo or monogram in the middle. QR codes can rebuild missing parts using error correction. DENSO WAVE lists four levels, from L (about 7% of the data can be restored) to H (about 30%). A logo uses up that margin, so a crease or smudge on top of it can make the code unreadable. If you add one, use level H, keep the logo small and test the printed card.
- Gold foil, metallic or glossy ink. Reflections hide parts of the code under indoor light. Print the code in flat ink.
- Light code on a dark card. Many phone cameras still read it, but not all. A dark code on a light background is the reliable choice.
- Low contrast colors. A pale sage or blush code on ivory paper may not scan. Keep the code dark enough to read clearly at a glance.
- Rounded dots and decorative corners. Some generators allow them; test carefully, since older phones can struggle.
Signs at the venue
A QR code on the day is useful for the schedule, a photo upload link or the menu. Make it easy to use:
- Print it large enough for the distance (see the table above)
- Place it at chest height, not above a table or behind flowers
- Light it: candlelit rooms make codes hard to scan
- Use a matte finish, not glossy lamination that reflects lights
- Write one line explaining it: "Scan for tonight's schedule"
- Test it in the room, at the venue's evening lighting, before guests arrive
Always print the address too
Some guests will not scan a code: older relatives, guests with older phones, or anyone who prefers to type. Print the written address next to every code, and keep it short enough to read aloud. A code with no written address leaves those guests with no way in.
If your website has a guest password, print it next to the code too, or guests who scan will stop at the password page. Our guide to wedding website privacy explains when a password is worth it.
Test before you print
- Generate the code from your final address.
- Print one copy at its real size on the real paper, or ask the print shop for a physical proof.
- Scan it with at least two different phones, ideally one older model.
- Check that it opens the right page, and that the reply form works when you send a test reply.
- Delete the test reply before inviting guests, if your platform lets you.
For the questions on the reply form itself, see which RSVP questions to ask. For paper, bleed and envelopes, see how to print wedding invitations at home or a print shop.
QR codes on our wedding websites
Every website comes with a QR code generated from your real website address, with no forwarding service in between, so it works for as long as your website is online: until 12 months after your wedding date. It uses error correction level Q and the full four-module margin. In your panel you can download it as SVG, or as PNG in three sizes (for screens, printed cards and signs), in black or your design's color darkened until it scans like black. You can also download a printable 4 × 6 in (10 × 15 cm) QR card with your names, the date and, if you like, your guest password, and the printable invitation in your design has an optional back side with the details and the code. After the wedding, the same code opens your thank-you page if you switch it on. See the sharing features, or open the Olive & Ivory demo. If you are still setting up your site, start with how to make a wedding website on your phone.
FAQ
Should we use a free QR code generator for our wedding?
You can, if it makes a static code that contains your own website address. Avoid codes that forward through the generator's own short link, since some stop working when a trial or paid plan ends. Scan the code before printing and check which address it shows.
How big should a QR code be on a wedding invitation?
At least 2.5 cm (1 inch) square on a card held in the hand, plus a clear white margin around it. Make it larger on signs: a widely used rule of thumb is that a code can be scanned from about ten times its width.
Can we put our monogram in the middle of the QR code?
You can, but it uses up the code's error correction, so a crease or smudge can then make it fail. If you add one, choose the highest error correction level, keep the monogram small and test the printed card with several phones.
Should the RSVP QR code open the reply form or the website?
The website's main address is usually safer. It shows guests the details before they reply, it matches the written address, and it keeps working after the reply form closes. Make sure the reply form is easy to find from the first screen.