Invite guests with a direct link: how it works
Inviting guests with a direct link makes sharing photos easy. Give everyone quick access to a private event gallery – no app and no account needed.
An aunt with no QR code to hand. A colleague who only asks for the photos afterwards. Or friends who would rather open your invitation straight from WhatsApp. Inviting guests with a direct link gives everyone an easy way into your event gallery. One tap is enough to view or add photos, videos and memories – no app and no account.
That sounds like a small thing, but it saves a lot on a day when you already have plenty to arrange. You do not want to keep explaining where people should log in, chase files through scattered group chats, or find out later that someone's best video was never sent. With a direct link you collect everything in one trusted place, while the memories are still fresh.
Here is the short version:
- Set up your event gallery and copy the direct link to your event page.
- Share the link beforehand in your digital invitation, or in a message just before the day.
- Put the same link somewhere visible during the party, next to the QR code.
- Add one line saying that guests can both add photos and videos and look back at them.
- Send the same link once more afterwards, with a thank you and a clear closing date.
Why a direct link works so well for guests
A QR code is excellent on location: guests scan it from a card, a screen or a welcome sign. But not everyone arrives the same way. Some guests get the invitation digitally, others cannot see the QR code properly or want to open it again later. A direct link is a welcome addition. You share it where your guests already are: in a message, an email, a digital invitation or the group chat.
The link opens straight in the browser on almost any phone, tablet or computer. Nobody has to download anything or create a profile. At a party with guests of all ages that removes the barrier entirely: even people who rarely bother with technology simply join in.
For you as the host it means fewer one-off questions. Instead of explaining over and over how to send a photo, you point to the same link. Guests see immediately where to go and add their own photos and videos whenever it suits them.
Inviting guests with a direct link at three moments
The best approach is not choosing between a QR code and a link. Use them side by side, matched to the moment your guests need the gallery.
1. Share the link before the event
Put the direct link in your digital invitation, or send it in a friendly message shortly before the day itself. Say in one line what guests can do with it: add photos and videos from the party and look back at every shared moment.
Sharing it in advance suits guests who like to be prepared. It also makes clear straight away that candid photos are welcome. Anyone who takes a nice photo on the way knows exactly where it belongs. At a wedding you might put the link with the practical information. For a company party it fits neatly in the final email with the programme and the venue.
Keep your message short. An invitation works best when people do not have to hunt for what to do. For example: “Share your photos and videos in our event gallery. Open the link and join in.”
2. Keep the link visible during the event
Not everyone reads messages beforehand with full attention, and that is fine. Repeat the invitation on the day itself. Pair the direct link with a QR code on a screen, a table card or a small sign. Ask your master of ceremonies, organiser or host to mention briefly that guests can upload their pictures right away.
At a bigger party, repetition helps. Put the invitation not only at the entrance, but also where guests wait or sit down: the bar, the gift table or the end of the programme. The point is not for the link to pop up everywhere, but for it to be within reach the moment someone thinks: I want to keep this photo.
A personal line usually works better than a technical explanation. “We would love to see the day through your eyes too” is far more inviting than “Upload here.” That way guests immediately understand why their contribution matters.
3. Send a friendly reminder afterwards
The last photos rarely arrive during the party. Guests still have pictures on their phone that they only rediscover at home, or they want to make a selection first. So send one short message afterwards with the same direct link.
Thank everyone and ask for the photos and videos that have not been shared yet. Name a clear date if you want to close the gallery at some point. That stops you receiving stray files through all sorts of channels months later.
That last message is also the moment to share the gallery as a keepsake. Guests can not only add to it, but also enjoy each other's perspective: the preparations, the dance floor, an unexpected joke at the table and the moments you as the host may have missed.
Make clear what guests can expect
A direct link gets used more often when guests know what happens after they tap it. So tell them in advance that they will land in a private event gallery where they can view and upload photos and videos. That builds trust, especially at a family party or company event where not everyone knows each other well.
Explain briefly how you handle privacy too. You decide who gets access, so share the link only with the people you invited. A private space feels different from a public post on social media. That makes it easier for guests to share their candid, personal moments.
Every Momentshare package comes with a unique QR code and a shareable link to your own event page, along with a private gallery and an unlimited number of guests. No app is needed anywhere: the link simply opens in the browser. That keeps every image together in one secure gallery, instead of scattered across private messages and disappearing chats. You keep the overview and decide how you store, sort and share the memories later.
Which kind of invitation suits your event?
For an informal birthday, a message in the group chat is often enough. At a wedding a combination works best: the link in the digital information beforehand, the QR code visible on the day itself and a thank-you message afterwards. At a corporate event you put the link in the attendee email and show it once more during the closing.
So it depends on your guests and the programme. Do many people not know each other? Then explain a little more about the gallery and the privacy. Is the whole group already in the same chat every day? Then a short, enthusiastic invitation is plenty.
Think about the kind of images you are hoping for, too. Mostly after candid atmosphere shots? Share the link early and keep it visible throughout the event. Also expecting videos of speeches, matches or performances? Then remind guests they can add those the moment they are recorded.
Common mistakes you can easily avoid
The biggest mistake is sharing the link only once, weeks before the event. People are busy, messages sink down and not every guest opens everything straight away. By letting the link come back at a few natural moments, you improve the odds that everyone finds it without it feeling pushy.
A second mistake is giving too little context. A bare link does not tell anyone why they should click. Always add a short invitation saying that photos and videos are welcome. That makes joining in more personal and helps guests on their way immediately.
Finally: do not wait too long with your thank you. In those first few days the memories are still close and the pictures are still at the top of your guests' photo app. A warm message at that moment often brings in exactly the photos that would otherwise have stayed on a phone.
Frequently asked questions about inviting guests with a direct link
How do you invite guests with a direct link?
Copy the unique link to your event page and share it at three moments: beforehand in your digital invitation or a message, during the event next to the QR code on a screen or card, and afterwards in a thank you. Add one line each time saying that guests can add photos and videos and look back at them.
Do guests need an app or an account to open the link?
No. The direct link opens in the browser of almost any phone, tablet or computer. Your guests do not have to install anything, log in or create an account – every Momentshare package includes a shareable link and uploading without an app.
How long can guests keep using the direct link?
That depends on your package: with Basic your event stays reachable for 1 month, with Premium for 6 months and with Unlimited for 12 months. That period only starts once you publish your event for the first time. If you want to stop access sooner, switch publishing off in your event settings. On the pricing page you can see what else each package includes.
Is a direct link as safe as a QR code?
Yes, because it is the same private access: your event page is only reachable for whoever has the link or the QR code, and it is not listed publicly on the internet. Both can be forwarded, though, so share them only with the people you want in the gallery.
The best event gallery is not made up only of the photos you deliberately arranged. It is your guests' unexpected pictures that bring the atmosphere back. Give them one direct link as an easy place to pass those moments on – then nobody is left standing on the sidelines.
