When is Diwali 2026, and when should you send invitations?

Diwali, or Deepavali, falls on Sunday, November 8, 2026. That's Lakshmi Puja, the main day. US, UK and Canadian calendars run the five days from Friday, November 6 to Tuesday, November 10, and Indian and Australian calendars end a day later. Sikhs mark Bandi Chhor Divas and Jains mark Mahavira's nirvana on or around the same day. Send invitations three to four weeks ahead: for a party on Saturday, November 7 or Sunday, November 8, that's October 10 to 18. Ask for replies by Sunday, November 1, so you have a week to shop and cook.

What should a Diwali party invitation say?

Cover who's hosting, the date, the start time and the address. Then answer what guests will wonder: when to arrive, whether the food is vegetarian, whether kids are welcome and what to wear. End with a reply-by date. For example: "Diwali at the Mehtas', Sun Nov 8, 6 pm. Vegetarian dinner, kids welcome, festive wear. Please RSVP by Nov 1." The Diwali invitation wording guide above has more messages for pujas, parties and office celebrations. With Invyt, the invite carries the date, time and address, and the rest goes in the message you send with the link.

How do I put a puja and dinner on one Diwali invitation?

An Invyt invite has one start time, so let the name and your message do the rest. Call the event something like "Diwali Puja & Dinner" and set the start time to the puja. Lakshmi Puja is done after sunset, and the muhurat changes by city: on November 8, 2026 it's 5:04 to 6:52 pm in New York, 5:17 to 7:03 pm in Toronto and 4:35 to 6:12 pm in London. Put the dinner time in the message you send with the link, like "Puja at 5:30 pm, dinner at 7." If the puja is family only, make two invites, one for the puja and one for dinner.

How do I find out which guests are vegetarian or Jain?

Use the dietary question on your invite. Guests who say yes can tick vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free, or tap Other and type a note. There's no separate Jain option, so add a line to your message: "Jain, or no onion and garlic? Tell us in the Other note." Many Jain guests avoid onion, garlic and root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots, and some don't eat after sunset, which matters for a late dinner. You'll see each answer next to the guest's name before you plan the menu.

Do guests need an app or an account to RSVP?

No. They open the link in any phone browser, tap yes or no and type their name. If you allow plus-ones and kids, they add them in the same form, so one reply can cover grandparents, parents and the kids. There's nothing to install and no password, which matters when half your list are relatives replying from the family group chat.

How do I invite coworkers to an office Diwali celebration?

Keep it short and welcoming: what it is, when, where, and that everyone's invited, whether or not they celebrate. Add a line for first-timers, like "Diwali is the festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists." With Invyt, make an invite for the lunch, post the link in Slack, Teams or email, and print the QR code for the kitchen. Keep the dietary question on, since many guests will want vegetarian food. The Corporate type also asks guests for an email, so switch that off for a casual lunch. For a potluck, keep who brings what in a shared doc: Invyt counts people, not dishes.

What if I'm inviting more than 25 guests?

The free plan covers 25 guests per event, plus-ones included. Diwali lists grow fast once the cousins and neighbors are on them, so if yours is bigger, upgrade that one event to Premium. It's a one-time upgrade for that event only, and it removes the guest cap. You can start free and upgrade later without losing any replies. Prices are on the pricing page at www.invyt.app/pricing.

Does Invyt have Diwali invitation templates?

No. Invyt doesn't design cards, and there's no Diwali theme or event type. It handles what a card maker doesn't: the RSVPs, the headcount and the WhatsApp reminders. Pick a free cover photo from the library, or upload your own photo as the cover with Premium. Already made a card in Canva? Send the image to the group chat and put your Invyt link under it, so the replies land in one list.

Diwali Party Invitations with RSVP Tracking

Create Your Free Invite

No credit card required • Set up in under 5 minutes

Diwali falls on Sunday, November 8 in 2026, and the family group chats are already busy. Send your invite as one link. Guests tap yes, add their family and tell you what they don't eat, so you see the headcount add up before you plan a single dish.

Guests RSVP from one link, with no app or account
Share it on WhatsApp, by text or with a printed QR code
Plus-ones and kids add up to one live headcount
Ask about food needs, from vegetarian to no onion or garlic
Add your guest list and see who hasn't replied yet
Free for up to 25 guests per event, plus-ones included

For Diwali dinners at home, card nights with friends and the office Diwali lunch.

An Online Diwali Invitation That Counts the Whole Family

Who's coming, how many kids, and who eats no onion or garlic. You find out before you cook, not at the door.

Cook for the right number

Your headcount adds up every guest, plus-one and kid who said yes. When your cousin replies for a family of five, you see five, not one.

Vegetarian and Jain needs, up front

Ask the dietary question and every yes arrives with it: vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free, plus an Other note. Jain guests can write no onion, garlic or root vegetables there, and you'll see it next to their name.

Plus-ones and kids, your rules

Let guests bring a partner, or cap it at one each. Turn kids on and parents add each child in the same form. Hosting a late card night instead? Turn kids off and show a "No Kids, Please" note on the invite.

Made for the family WhatsApp group

Paste the link into WhatsApp, iMessage or any chat and it shows a preview card with your event name and cover photo. Nobody has to scroll back 300 messages to find your address.

A QR code for the office kitchen

Running the team's Diwali lunch? Print the QR code for the kitchen or the lift. Coworkers scan it, RSVP and get back to their desks. The QR code is free.

Nudge the cousins who haven't replied

Add guests to your list and Invyt shows who hasn't answered. One tap opens WhatsApp with a ready-made reminder you send from your own phone.

How to Send Diwali Invitations in 3 Steps

Five minutes tonight, a real headcount before Diwali

Create the event

Pick Dinner Night, Corporate or Custom Event, then add the name, date, time and address. If there's a puja, make its start time your start time, so guests arrive for it and not just for dinner.

Set the guest rules

From your event dashboard, pick a cover photo, set your plus-one and kids rules, and make sure the dietary question is on for your vegetarian and Jain guests.

Send one link

Drop it in the family WhatsApp group with your dinner time, dress note and reply-by date, or print the QR code. Then watch the yeses add up.

Office Diwali Party Invitations

Organizing the team's Diwali lunch? Post one link in Slack, Teams or email, or put the QR code in the kitchen. Then order food for the number on your screen.

Coworkers RSVP from a link, with no app or account
Vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free, plus a note for Jain needs
Potluck? Invyt counts people, not dishes. Keep a shared dish list
New to Diwali? Add a line on what it is and that everyone's welcome

Before You Send Your Diwali Invitations

Not sure what to write for a puja, a card night or the office? Start with the wording, then make the invite.

Diwali invitation wording

Messages for a puja at home, a Diwali party with friends and the office celebration, plus lines for the start time, dress and food.

Read the wording guide Create your invite

How to send invitations on WhatsApp

Step by step: drop your invite link into a WhatsApp group, see how the preview looks, and track every reply in one list instead of scrolling the chat.

Read the WhatsApp guide Start your guest list

Diwali Party Invitation FAQs

Send Your Diwali Invitations Tonight

Five minutes to set up, one link for the family group, and a headcount you can cook for.