> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.weddingkart.co/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Send from your own WhatsApp number

> Connect your WhatsApp Business number so guests see your business name and reply straight to you

By default, every event on Weddingkart sends its messages from Weddingkart's shared number, which guests see as **Wedding Invite**. If you run events as a business, you can connect your own WhatsApp Business number instead. Guests then see your business name and profile picture on every message, and their replies come to your number.

Everything else works the same way: you still manage guests, send announcements, collect RSVPs, and chat with guests from the Weddingkart app.

## Before you start

Connecting a number takes a few minutes in the app, but WhatsApp has to approve some things before you can send. Have these ready:

* **A WhatsApp Business number you have decided on.** When you connect, you choose whether the number keeps working in the WhatsApp Business app on your phone or moves fully to Weddingkart. Both choices are hard to undo, so pick the number carefully. See [Choosing how to connect](#choosing-how-to-connect).
* **A Facebook (Meta) account.** WhatsApp's own signup window asks you to log in and link your business.
* **A payment method in WhatsApp Manager.** WhatsApp charges your WhatsApp Business account for the messages you send, and it will not deliver anything from the number until a payment method is added. The app shows this on the **WhatsApp Business** screen: *"You will need a payment method on WhatsApp"*.
* **Time for WhatsApp to approve it.** WhatsApp reviews a new number and its business name before it can send. Allow 2–3 days, so connect the number well before the event you want to use it for.

<Warning>
  An event's sending number is chosen when the event is created and **cannot be changed later**. Connecting a number now does not move events you have already created — they keep the number they started on. Connect your number before you create the event you want to send from it.
</Warning>

## Where to find it

You can open the **WhatsApp Business** screen from any of these places:

* The side menu: **Your WhatsApp numbers**.
* The home screen card **Send from your own number**: *"Your guests currently see messages from WeddingKart. Connect your own WhatsApp number and they see your name instead."*
* If you have no events yet, the home screen tile **Already use WhatsApp Business?**
* When creating an event, the **Send messages from** field. If you have not connected a number yet, the sheet shows **Send from your own business number** with a **Set it up** button.

Anyone with a Weddingkart login can connect a number. The person who connects it becomes the number's **owner**. The owner can later share the number with their team — see [Share your number with your team](/docs/account/own-number-access).

## Connecting your number

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open WhatsApp Business">
    Tap **Your WhatsApp numbers** in the side menu. The screen is titled **WhatsApp Business**. If you have not connected a number yet, it shows **Connect Your WhatsApp Number**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Tap Connect WhatsApp Business">
    Tap **Connect WhatsApp Business**. (If you already have a number connected, tap **Add Number** to connect another one.)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm you have picked the right number">
    A dialog titled **Pick your number before you continue** explains that you are about to choose between keeping WhatsApp on the number or moving it fully to Weddingkart, and that *"Either way, undoing it later means disconnecting the number and verifying it again by SMS."* Tap **I understand** to continue, or **Cancel** to stop without changing anything.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose how to connect">
    The **Connect Your WhatsApp Number** page asks you to choose one of two options — see [Choosing how to connect](#choosing-how-to-connect) below. Then tap **Connect WhatsApp Business Account**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete WhatsApp's signup">
    WhatsApp's own signup window opens (inside the app on mobile). Log in with Facebook, select or create your business, and verify the phone number. If you chose to keep WhatsApp on the number, WhatsApp asks you to confirm on the phone, so keep it next to you.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Back in Weddingkart">
    When signup finishes, you see *"WhatsApp Business connected successfully!"* and the number appears on the **WhatsApp Business** screen with its current status.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Choosing how to connect

| | Keep using WhatsApp on this number (Coexistence) | Move this number to WeddingKart |
| - | - | - |
| **Best for** | The number you already give out | A spare number |
| **WhatsApp Business app on your phone** | Keeps working; your existing chats stay on the phone | Stops working — the number leaves the WhatsApp app entirely |
| **Guests can call the number** | Yes | No |
| **Reply from your phone at a venue** | Yes | No |
| **Send to hundreds of guests** | Yes | Yes |
| **Guest messages reach your team in Weddingkart** | Yes | Yes |
| **Replies you type on the phone show in Weddingkart** | No | No phone involved |
| **Needs the phone opened every couple of weeks** | Yes | No |
| **Changing your mind later** | Reconnect anytime | Re-verify by SMS |

**Keep using WhatsApp on this number (Coexistence)** is the recommended option. It needs a number already set up on the **WhatsApp Business** app (not the regular WhatsApp app), on a phone you actually carry and open. When you connect, WhatsApp sends across your recent chat history and contacts from that number once — this is required by WhatsApp, and Weddingkart does not store any of it. Other devices signed in to WhatsApp Web on that number will be unlinked and need reconnecting. When you reply to a guest from your phone, Weddingkart's assistant stays quiet for that guest for the next 30 minutes, so nobody gets two different answers.

**Move this number to WeddingKart** takes the number off the WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business apps on your phone, and all guest messages arrive in Weddingkart instead. Use a dedicated number, not the one you use for everyday conversations.

<Note>
  A number can only be connected to one platform at a time. If it is already connected to another tool, disconnect it there first.
</Note>

## After connecting: status and setup

Each number on the **WhatsApp Business** screen shows its current status. The number's owner may see extra buttons:

* **Register Phone Number** — shown when the status is **Finish connecting this number** (*"Register this phone number with WhatsApp to start sending."*).
* **Set Up Branding** — edit the number's **Business Profile**. See [Branding](#branding-your-number).
* **Manage Templates** — create and track your own message templates. See [Create your own message templates](/docs/announcements/own-templates).
* **Access** — who else can send from the number. See [Share your number with your team](/docs/account/own-number-access).

These are the statuses you may see, and what to do:

| Status | What it means | What to do |
| - | - | - |
| **Ready to send** | Everything is approved. | Nothing. |
| **Payment method needed** | *"WhatsApp will not deliver any message from this number until a payment method is added to the business account it belongs to."* | Add a payment method in WhatsApp Manager. Sending starts working once it is added. |
| **Waiting on WhatsApp name review** | WhatsApp is reviewing the business name guests will see. | Wait. Sending starts automatically once it is approved. |
| **Business name rejected** | WhatsApp rejected the business name, so the number cannot send. | Submit a new name in WhatsApp Manager. |
| **Finish connecting this number** | The phone number is not registered with WhatsApp yet. | The owner taps **Register Phone Number**. |
| **Connecting this number** | WhatsApp is still activating the number. | Wait — this usually takes a few minutes. |
| **Free-form messages not ready yet** | Template announcements send as normal. Free-form messages start once WhatsApp approves the number's opener message, usually a few minutes. | Wait, or send template announcements in the meantime. |
| **Sending needs attention** | *"We could not set up sending on this number. Our team has been notified."* | Weddingkart's team follows up. Contact support if it persists. |
| **Disconnected** | Weddingkart can no longer send from this number. | The owner taps **Reconnect this number**. See below. |

### If your number gets disconnected

If a number disconnects, its card shows **This number is disconnected**: *"WeddingKart can no longer send from this number. This usually happens if it was unlinked in the WhatsApp Business app, or the app went unused for about two weeks. Reconnect it to start sending again."*

Only the number's owner can reconnect it, by tapping **Reconnect this number** and going through WhatsApp's signup again. Everyone else with access sees *"Ask the number's owner to reconnect it."* Events on that number cannot send until it is reconnected — and because an event's number can't be changed, reconnecting is the only fix.

<Tip>
  If you chose Coexistence, open the WhatsApp Business app on that phone regularly. WhatsApp drops the connection after roughly two weeks without the app being opened — a spare SIM in a drawer will quietly disconnect.
</Tip>

## Branding your number

The owner taps **Set Up Branding** to edit the **Business Profile** guests see on WhatsApp: **About**, **Description**, **Email**, **Website**, and **Profile Picture URL** (a public link to a square image, 640×640 recommended). Tap **Save Profile** to apply it.

The profile belongs to the number, not to one event. Changing it changes what guests see on **every** event sending from that number.

The business **display name** guests see is not edited in Weddingkart. Change it in WhatsApp Manager — WhatsApp reviews the new name before it goes live.

## Using your number for an event

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a new event">
    Create a new event as usual (see [Wedding Setup](/docs/wedding-setup)).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Tap Send messages from">
    The **Who sends the messages?** sheet opens: *"Guests see this name and number on every message. This cannot be changed after the event is created."* Numbers are grouped under **Weddingkart's number**, **Your own number**, and **Shared with you**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick your number">
    Select your number and finish creating the event. Every message for this event now goes out from that number.
  </Step>
</Steps>

A number can't be picked yet if something still needs to happen. The sheet explains why:

| Message | What to do |
| - | - |
| *"Your access to this number is still pending"* | Accept the invitation on the **WhatsApp Business** screen. |
| *"This number has no payment method"* | Add a payment method in WhatsApp Manager. |
| *"WhatsApp rejected this business name"* | Submit a new name in WhatsApp Manager. |
| *"WhatsApp is still reviewing this name"* | Wait — usually within a day. |
| *"Still being set up"* | Wait — this usually takes a few minutes. |

## Sending from your number

* **You can always see the sender.** The announcement screen shows **Sending from** followed by the name guests see.
* **Templates are your own.** On an event that uses your own number, the template list shows only the approved templates on that number — Weddingkart's shared templates are not available there. Create your own from **Manage Templates** or the **Create** tile at the end of **Browse Templates**. See [Create your own message templates](/docs/announcements/own-templates). If there's no template for what you want to say, send a free-form message instead.
* **Daily sending limit.** WhatsApp limits how many people a new number can message each day. If your number is limited, you see *"Your WhatsApp number is limited to N people per day"* — *"This is WhatsApp's starting limit for a new number. Getting your business verified raises it, usually within a few days."* If one send is larger than the limit, the warning reads *"This send is larger than your 24-hour limit"* and tells you roughly how many guests will not get it. Send the rest the next day, or get your business verified in WhatsApp Manager.
* **Costs.** Sending from your own number uses your event's Weddingkart credits in the same way as the shared number (see [Payments & Credits](/docs/account/payments-credits)). **In addition**, WhatsApp charges your WhatsApp Business account directly for the messages it delivers, using the payment method in WhatsApp Manager.

<Note>
  Replying to a guest in chat after their 24-hour reply window has closed is not available yet on your own number. You'll see: *"Replying to this guest isn't available yet from your own WhatsApp number — their 24-hour reply window has closed. This will be supported soon."* Replies inside the 24-hour window work as normal.
</Note>

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I switch an existing event to my own number?">
    No. An event's sending number is fixed when the event is created and cannot be changed afterwards. Connect your number first, then create a new event and pick your number under **Send messages from**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long before I can send from a new number?">
    WhatsApp has to approve the number and its business name first. Allow 2–3 days. You can still create the event and set it up while you wait — the name review usually finishes within a day.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Everything looks set up, but nothing is being delivered. Why?">
    The most common cause is a missing payment method. WhatsApp will not deliver anything from your number until a payment method is added to your WhatsApp Business account in WhatsApp Manager. The number shows **Payment method needed** when this is the problem.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Will my number stop working on my phone?">
    Only if you chose **Move this number to WeddingKart**. With **Keep using WhatsApp on this number (Coexistence)**, the number keeps working in the WhatsApp Business app and still rings for calls.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I undo the connection later?">
    Yes, but it isn't instant. Undoing it means disconnecting the number and verifying it again by SMS. That's why the app asks you to pick the number carefully before you start.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My number says it's disconnected in the middle of a wedding. What now?">
    Ask the number's owner to tap **Reconnect this number** on the **WhatsApp Business** screen and complete WhatsApp's signup again. The event can't be moved to another number, so reconnecting is the only way to resume sending. To avoid it, open the WhatsApp Business app on that phone at least every couple of weeks.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why can't I find the usual Weddingkart templates on my event?">
    Events on your own number can only use templates approved on that number. Create your own from **Manage Templates**, or send a free-form message.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I still pay Weddingkart credits?">
    Yes. Messages use your event's Weddingkart credits as usual, and WhatsApp also bills your WhatsApp Business account for delivered messages.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My send was cut short by the daily limit. What can I do?">
    WhatsApp caps how many people a new number can message in 24 hours. Send to the remaining guests the next day, or get your business verified in WhatsApp Manager to raise the limit.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I change the business name guests see?">
    Change the display name in WhatsApp Manager. WhatsApp reviews it before it goes live. You can edit the description and profile picture in the app with **Set Up Branding**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I connect more than one number?">
    Yes. Tap **Add Number** on the **WhatsApp Business** screen. Each event still sends from just one of them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What exactly do I need before connecting my number, and why?">
    * **A Facebook (Meta) login** — WhatsApp's own signup window uses it to link the number to your business. The login happens in WhatsApp's window.
    * **A business on Meta** — during signup you select your existing business or create one. The number and its message charges belong to that business.
    * **The number itself** — for the recommended **Coexistence** option, a number already set up on the **WhatsApp Business** app (not the regular WhatsApp app), on a phone you carry. Otherwise, a spare number you're happy to move fully to Weddingkart.
    * **A payment method in WhatsApp Manager** — WhatsApp bills the business for messages and won't deliver anything until one is added.
    * **A few days** — WhatsApp reviews the number and business name before it can send.

    Getting your business verified in WhatsApp Manager isn't needed to start, but it raises the daily sending limit for a new number.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does WhatsApp ask for my card when I've already paid Weddingkart?">
    On your own number, WhatsApp charges your WhatsApp Business account directly for the messages it delivers — that's separate from your Weddingkart plan. Until a payment method is added in WhatsApp Manager, the number shows **Payment method needed** and nothing is delivered, not even a test message.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What does it cost in total to send from my own number?">
    Two things. Your event's Weddingkart plan and credits work the same as on Weddingkart's number (see [Payments & Credits](/docs/account/payments-credits)). On top of that, WhatsApp bills your WhatsApp Business account for the messages it delivers, using the payment method in WhatsApp Manager.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The connection won't finish, or WhatsApp keeps logging me out on WhatsApp Web.">
    With **Coexistence**, connecting unlinks the other devices signed in to WhatsApp Web on that number — link them again afterwards. During signup, WhatsApp asks you to confirm on the phone, so keep it next to you and use the **WhatsApp Business** app, not regular WhatsApp. If the number is already connected to another tool, disconnect it there first. Once signup finishes, check the number's status on the **WhatsApp Business** screen: **Finish connecting this number** means the owner still needs to tap **Register Phone Number**, and **Connecting this number** usually clears within a few minutes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can one wedding send from two numbers, say one for the bride's side and one for the groom's?">
    No. Each event sends from exactly one number, chosen when the event is created. You can connect several numbers to your account, but each event uses only one of them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I change the name or logo guests see on the shared 'Wedding Invite' number?">
    No. That number belongs to Weddingkart and looks the same for every event that uses it. To show your own business name and picture, connect your own number and pick it when you create the event. You can also put your branding on the card, PDF, or video you attach to your announcements.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What does 'Sending from Wedding Invite' mean on the announcement screen?">
    It shows the number your guests will get the message from. **Wedding Invite** is Weddingkart's shared number. If the event sends from your own number, you see your business name there instead.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Share your number with your team" icon="users" href="/docs/account/own-number-access">
    Let teammates send from your number without setting up their own
  </Card>

  <Card title="Create your own message templates" icon="file-pen" href="/docs/announcements/own-templates">
    Write templates for your number and get them approved by WhatsApp
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payments & Credits" icon="wallet" href="/docs/account/payments-credits">
    How Weddingkart credits work
  </Card>

  <Card title="Announcements" icon="bullhorn" href="/docs/announcements/overview">
    Send messages to your guests
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


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