Where do I set up my Wedding Website?
Before we dive straight into what to put on the wedding website, let’s first start with how & where to set one up!
There are a lot of different platform options for building out templated and custom wedding websites. Popular options are TheKnot.com, zola.com, minted.com, withjoy.com and for those that are a bit more tech savvy and want something more custom, squarespace.com and wordpress.com.
Some of these sites offer free wedding websites and others do have a fee. But before you decide which platform you’re going to use, you need to determine if you are going to request RSVP’s online or by mail. If online, then you’ll need to know the RSVP capabilities and limitations to the platform.
Pro Tip: We typically only suggest online RSVP’s if you’re going for a very casual vibe for your wedding weekend
For example, do you need RSVP’s for multiple weekend events, like the Welcome Party, Rehearsal Dinner and Farewell Brunch? And with any of the weekend events, do you need guests to RSVP with their entree selections and/or dietary restrictions?
Another RSVP possibility is for transportation. If guests can indicate whether or not they’ll use your provided transportation, it can help get a more accurate number for how many people you’re needing to transfer around on the wedding day.
You don’t have to add all these RSVP options on the wedding website immediately. The key is knowing the platform has the capability to add those functions later, if you need them!
The next thing you need to decide is if you want a unique URL for your website or if you’re okay with a website URL that starts with the platform name. For example:
“www.zola.com/aliciaandjohnny2023” vs. “www.aliciaandjohnny2023.com”
Some platforms allow you to custom create your URL and others do not, so deciding on the importance of that, will help you to determine which is the best option for your site. There’s typically a small fee to get your own URL, but it can be worth it if it makes the website easier to remember & if you’d like it to look simple & clean written out as part of your wedding invitation suite.
What are the basic necessities to just share the wedding website with your guests?
- wedding date
- wedding city, state
- photos of the two of you
- add “More information coming soon!”
That’s it!
Once you get a bit deeper into the wedding planning process, the additional information you definitely want to add to your website is:
- event venues – for all weekend events that everyone is invited to. If you have some events that only a select group of guests are invited (example: only family and wedding party to the rehearsal dinner) then you would not include this information on your wedding website. Instead you’d share it via a personal invitation
- event times – same as above
- hotels- provide the information for the wedding room blocks you’ve set up. Include the online booking link or phone number and unique code. If you’ve opted not to set up room blocks, provide 3-4 hotel suggestions, so they have some guidance on where to stay.
Other things you can add, but are optional:
- suggested attire for each event
- your love story or engagement story
- your wedding registry information
- photos and a short intro to each of your bridesmaids & groomsmen
- transportation information (if you’re providing shuttles) or suggestions for transportation & parking
- local activities, restaurants, salons, etc.
We suggest having the wedding website fully completed by four months prior to your wedding, and for international destination weddings, at least six months out.
Where and how do you share your wedding website?
We recommend first sharing it through your Save the Dates. You can add the wedding website URL to either digital or mailed Save the Dates. This at least gives guests early notice on where to find more information about your wedding weekend.
You will also want to add your wedding website to the ‘Details’ card within your invitation suite. It’s not customary to add it to the invitation itself, so the details card is an appropriate place to again encourage your guests to review the site for more information.
By: Jessica Upton
