diff --git a/ihatemoney/utils.py b/ihatemoney/utils.py
index d8ee112b..f6fab922 100644
--- a/ihatemoney/utils.py
+++ b/ihatemoney/utils.py
@@ -4,11 +4,14 @@ import re
 import os
 import ast
 import operator
+import smtplib
+import socket
 
 from io import BytesIO, StringIO
+
 import jinja2
 from json import dumps, JSONEncoder
-from flask import redirect, current_app, render_template
+from flask import flash, redirect, current_app, render_template
 from flask_babel import get_locale
 from babel import Locale
 from werkzeug.routing import HTTPException, RoutingException
@@ -33,6 +36,28 @@ def slugify(value):
     return re.sub(r'[-\s]+', '-', value)
 
 
+def send_email(mail_message, flash_success="", flash_error=""):
+    """Send an email using Flask-Mail, returning False if there was an error.
+
+    Optionally display a "flash alert" message to the user.  The flash
+    message is different depending on whether we could successfully send
+    the email or not.
+    """
+    # Since Python 3.4, SMTPException and socket.error are actually
+    # identical, but this was not the case before.  Also, it is more clear
+    # to check for both.
+    try:
+        current_app.mail.send(mail_message)
+    except (smtplib.SMTPException, socket.error):
+        if flash_error:
+            flash(flash_error, category="danger")
+        return False
+    # Email was sent successfully
+    if flash_success:
+        flash(flash_success, category="success")
+    return True
+
+
 class Redirect303(HTTPException, RoutingException):
 
     """Raise if the map requests a redirect. This is for example the case if
diff --git a/ihatemoney/web.py b/ihatemoney/web.py
index 45da8726..53dfc9aa 100644
--- a/ihatemoney/web.py
+++ b/ihatemoney/web.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from ihatemoney.forms import (
     AdminAuthenticationForm, AuthenticationForm, EditProjectForm,
     InviteForm, MemberForm, PasswordReminder, ResetPasswordForm, ProjectForm, get_billform_for
 )
-from ihatemoney.utils import Redirect303, list_of_dicts2json, list_of_dicts2csv, LoginThrottler, render_localized_template
+from ihatemoney.utils import Redirect303, list_of_dicts2json, list_of_dicts2csv, LoginThrottler, render_localized_template, send_email
 
 main = Blueprint("main", __name__)
 
@@ -247,10 +247,17 @@ def create_project():
             msg = Message(message_title,
                           body=message_body,
                           recipients=[project.contact_email])
-            try:
-                current_app.mail.send(msg)
-            except SMTPRecipientsRefused:
-                flash(_("Error while sending reminder email"), category="danger")
+            success = send_email(msg, _("A reminder email has just been sent to you"))
+            if not success:
+                # Display the error as a simple "info" alert, because it's
+                # not critical and doesn't prevent using the project.
+                flash(
+                    _(
+                        "We tried to send you an reminder email, but there was an error. "
+                        "You can still use the project normally."
+                    ),
+                    category="info",
+                )
 
             # redirect the user to the next step (invite)
             flash(_("The project identifier is %(project)s", project=project.id))
@@ -267,16 +274,21 @@ def remind_password():
             # get the project
             project = Project.query.get(form.id.data)
             # send a link to reset the password
-            current_app.mail.send(
-                Message(
-                    "password recovery",
-                    body=render_localized_template(
-                        "password_reminder", project=project
-                    ),
-                    recipients=[project.contact_email],
-                )
+            remind_message = Message(
+                "password recovery",
+                body=render_localized_template("password_reminder", project=project),
+                recipients=[project.contact_email],
             )
-            return redirect(url_for(".password_reminder_sent"))
+            success = send_email(
+                remind_message,
+                _("A password reminder email has just been sent to you"),
+                _(
+                    "Sorry, there was an error while sending you an email with password reset instructions. "
+                    "Please check the email configuration of the server or contact the administrator."
+                ),
+            )
+            if success:
+                return redirect(url_for(".password_reminder_sent"))
 
     return render_template("password_reminder.html", form=form)
 
@@ -408,9 +420,16 @@ def invite():
                           body=message_body,
                           recipients=[email.strip()
                                       for email in form.emails.data.split(",")])
-            current_app.mail.send(msg)
-            flash(_("Your invitations have been sent"))
-            return redirect(url_for(".list_bills"))
+            success = send_email(
+                msg,
+                _("Your invitations have been sent"),
+                _(
+                    "Sorry, there was an error while trying to send the invitation emails. "
+                    "Please check the email configuration of the server or contact the administrator."
+                ),
+            )
+            if success:
+                return redirect(url_for(".list_bills"))
 
     return render_template("send_invites.html", form=form)