Core developers were NOT invited.
According to this they were.

But I've no idea who or what to believe any more.
This can easily be verified as fake. There is no trace of his email on the bitcoin-dev mailing list, where he will reach all bitcoin-developers. Either he has been sending to a few people who he knew wouldn't be going to the conference, or he made it up. The only natural address for an invitation like this, is the bitcoin-dev mailing list, where suggestions regarding improvements to bitcoin are discussed and reviewed.