diff --git a/ihatemoney/utils.py b/ihatemoney/utils.py
index 175b7621..d206593b 100644
--- a/ihatemoney/utils.py
+++ b/ihatemoney/utils.py
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@ from json import JSONEncoder, dumps
 import operator
 import os
 import re
+import smtplib
+import socket
 
 from babel import Locale
 from babel.numbers import get_currency_name, get_currency_symbol
-from flask import current_app, redirect, render_template
+from flask import current_app, flash, redirect, render_template
 from flask_babel import get_locale, lazy_gettext as _
 import jinja2
 from werkzeug.routing import HTTPException, RoutingException
@@ -28,6 +30,28 @@ 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 ae124ac5..328ca095 100644
--- a/ihatemoney/web.py
+++ b/ihatemoney/web.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ from datetime import datetime
 from functools import wraps
 import json
 import os
-from smtplib import SMTPRecipientsRefused
 
 from dateutil.parser import parse
 from dateutil.relativedelta import relativedelta
@@ -60,6 +59,7 @@ from ihatemoney.utils import (
     list_of_dicts2json,
     render_localized_template,
     same_bill,
+    send_email,
 )
 
 main = Blueprint("main", __name__)
@@ -308,11 +308,17 @@ 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))
             return redirect(url_for(".list_bills", project_id=project.id))
@@ -328,16 +334,21 @@ 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)
 
@@ -585,9 +596,16 @@ 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)