When planning your special day, the first thing that comes to mind is probably not “website design.” But considering all the different ways a wedding website can be useful, maybe it should be! That’s why I’m here to walk you through each step of how to make a wedding website.
Wedding websites have only been around since the early 2000s, but they’ve rapidly become a standard part of wedding planning.
So, before the big “I do!” let’s look at some of the creative uses of a wedding website and how you can build a website that reflects your and your soon-to-be spouse’s unique style and vision.
Reasons Why You Should Make a Website for Your Wedding
There are a ton of reasons to make a website for your wedding, from communicating important details and updates to your guests to registering for gifts and sharing photos of the big day with your friends, families, and loved ones.
Not convinced yet?
Here are a few more reasons why you should absolutely make a wedding website.
- Your guests won’t have to worry about misplacing or forgetting to bring their physical invitation or save-the-date since all the information they need will be easily accessible online.
- A wedding website that’s smartphone-compatible is even better since it will allow your guests to view important information while on the road.
- In addition to simplifying things for your guests, a wedding website makes your life way easier by giving you a way to digitally compile RSVPs, meal choices, and any other information you’ve requested from your guests, eliminating the need for clunky spreadsheets or handwritten records.
- You can link to your registry, making it easier for guests to find it.
- If event plans change, you can keep everyone updated simultaneously (without having to make endless calls or emails).
Pro tip: to make thank-you notes as easy as possible, ask your guests to enter their physical mailing address information when they RSVP.
No need to send awkward texts post-wedding!
How to Make a Wedding Invite Website
Although paper invitations are still the preferred option for many people, there are plenty of reasons why this tradition isn’t ideal.
For one, the cost of designing, printing, and sending your invitations out can be prohibitive.
Additionally, think of how easy it is to misplace a single piece of paper! Your wedding invitation (and all the important information it contains) has a very good chance of getting lost in the shuffle, leaving your guests scrambling to remember crucial details.
Creating a wedding invitation website minimizes the costs and makes it pretty much impossible for your guests to lose their invite.
Even if you do decide to do paper invitations, creating a website on top of that is a great way to troubleshoot any potential problems and make sure your communication is running smoothly.
If the thought of building a website makes you nervous, don’t worry!
You don’t need any web design or coding experience to build a highly functional, gorgeous website for your wedding.
Free Wedding Website Builders
Let’s be honest: for most of us, a wedding is the most expensive party we’ll ever throw. In the U.S, the average cost of a wedding in 2021 was $22,500.
The costs add up so quickly it can make your head spin, and research has shown that 28% of couples go into debt to afford their wedding.
In other words, budget is one of the top concerns for most people when planning their wedding. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can create a beautiful wedding website for free.
One of the most popular free wedding website builders is The Knot, which lets you and your partner choose from a wide variety of different designs and then customize it with your own information.
Their templates are beautifully designed with an impressive range of different aesthetics, and you’re almost guaranteed to find one that you like.
Another great, free wedding website building tool is Minted Bride, which also offers an impressive array of templates.
If you’re not exactly sure how to make a good wedding website, Minted Bride also offers the option to hire a professional to design your site for a very reasonable price.
Both of these companies also offer many other wedding services that you can bundle with your website, including physical (i.e., paper) invitations and save-the-date design and party planning.
It’s worth noting that the free options for building your wedding website generally come with more limited features and won’t include a custom URL.
This isn’t strictly a must, particularly if you’re working with a tight budget, but paying a bit extra to have a custom URL is a great way to make your website easily memorable for your guests.
Of course, you could go with a different DIY website builder to create your wedding site, but using a service specifically designed for creating websites for weddings is likely a better idea since they come with features (such as RSVP options) that are relevant and necessary for a wedding website.
One of the best options for easily creating a stunning wedding site is Wix.
Wix wedding templates come with:
- RSVP
- Registry
- Photo/video gallery
- Venue details, how to get there etc.
- and lots more
Learn more about Wix here and how much it costs.
What to Include on Your Wedding Website
On that note, let’s take a look at the information and features that your wedding site should include.
A Photo and a Welcome Message
Many couples opt to take professional engagement photos, but of course, this isn’t necessary.
You can simply choose a photo of you and your partner that you feel reflects your love for each other, whether it’s professionally taken or not.
As for the welcome message, this sets the tone for the event, so it’s a nice touch if you put some thought into it.
Tell your guests a little about the history of your relationship (but keep it short and sweet), and be sure to add how important it is to you and your partner that they will be there to celebrate with you.
This is a great way to establish the warmth and intimacy you want your guests to feel on your special day, so make sure to keep the tone personal and proofread your message before you hit publish!
The Date, Time, and Location
This is the most important information of all, so make sure you get the date, time, and location of your ceremony right – and make it clear!
To avoid potential tardiness, it’s always a good idea to give your guests a start time 30 minutes before the actual time the ceremony starts.
When it comes to location, in particular, you don’t want anything to be vague or confusing. If possible, include a Google Maps link to the specific location.
Event Details
This is where you should include details such as the dress code, wheelchair and/or disability accessibility, and any Covid-related protocols you or the venue may have.
The Schedule for the Big Day
Most weddings are multi-event affairs, and the timing can easily get confusing. To avoid this, include a clear itinerary of events with their start and (approximate) end times.
Remember that your wedding website is a resource for all of your guests, so don’t include any events that not everyone is invited to.
For more exclusive wedding-related events, such as the rehearsal dinner or the bachelor/bachelorette parties, you’ll want to send out private invitation emails to avoid confusion about who is invited to which events.
An RSVP Option (With Menu Choices)
If you’re wondering how to make a wedding website RSVP, the good news is that most website building tools designed for wedding sites will include an easy way for your guests to RSVP to your special day.
This is way more convenient than traditional mail-in RSVP cards, as it keeps all the information centralized and easily accessible.
Alongside the RSVP, you can also ask your guests to choose their preferred meal option. This makes it super easy to compile the information and pass it along to the caterers without having to waste time creating a spreadsheet.
Accommodation and Transportation Information
If you know that some of your guests will be traveling from far away, it’s a thoughtful touch to include information about local accommodation. Keep in mind that not all of your guests will have the same budget, so it’s a good idea to include accommodation options at a few different price points.
Some couples opt to coordinate or pre-reserve a hotel block for their guests, and many hotels will offer a discounted rate for guests staying as part of a wedding party.
If you’ve chosen to do this, your wedding website is the place to include all the relevant details.
If there are specific transportation instructions (for example, if guests are expected to park in a specific area and will then be transported by a rented bus or shuttle to your venue), your wedding website is the place to make those details crystal clear.
This is even more important if you’re having a destination wedding, in which case the majority of your guests won’t be familiar with the area.
Make sure to include information about taxis, shuttles, or even flights if necessary.
Your Contact Information
No matter how much detail you include on your wedding site, there are bound to be a few questions that arise. To make things as easy as possible for your guests, including your cell number and an email address that you check regularly.
This list covers the basics, but of course, there’s other information and content that you and your partner can choose to include.
Post-wedding, it’s also a great idea to send out an update thanking your guests for attending and including a link to the photos taken throughout your special day.
FAQ
The Bottom Line: How to Make a Wedding Website as Special as Your Big Day
Your wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but planning a wedding is a famously difficult task.
Luckily, creating a website for your wedding is a simple and fun way to make sure everything goes smoothly for both you and your guests.
How?
Not only will your guests have an easy way to access important information and get updates as soon as possible…
but…
You’ll also have all the information that you and/or your wedding planners need to know (such as RSVP, contact info, and menu preference details) compiled in one convenient place.
Wedding websites have become a must-have for most couples planning their big day, and to match the demand, there are a ton of paid and free wedding website building templates on the market.
With so many options to choose from, you’re sure to be able to build a wedding website that’s within your budget and that reflects your unique style.
