How to Create a Website For Your Wedding
In the digital age, creating a wedding website is becoming increasingly popular among couples. In fact, a recent survey conducted in 2020 found that 59% of couples created a wedding website for their big day to keep their guests updated on possible changes. A wedding website can provide important information to guests, such as wedding details, gift registry information, and travel arrangements. In this blog post, we’ll be discussing how to create a wedding website in 8 easy steps to help you share important information with your guests and make the wedding planning process easier.
Step 1: Choose a Platform
The first step in creating a wedding website is to choose a platform. Here are some recommendations for your different preferences:
- Wix
Perfect for: Those who want creative freedom in building their wedding website; couples on a budget; those looking for simple but professional-looking website templates.
Customizable designs? YES.
Wedding planning features? NONE.
Recommended plans good enough for wedding websites:
- Free Plan: with basic website building tools and storage
- Premium Plan: from $14 to $49 per month; no Wix ads on your website; additional storage and features; allows connection to a custom domain
2. The Knot
Perfect for:
Those who are looking for a straightforward wedding website platform; couples on a budget and in a hurry; couples who value cash gift registries
Customizable designs? YES.
Recommended plans good enough for wedding websites:
Free: includes RSVP management, guest messaging, and a photo gallery.
- Premium Website: from $9 per month; everything in Free plus custom domain name and more design options
- The Knot Registry (free): guests can buy gifts from your registry
- The Knot Newlywed Fund (paid version of The Knot Registry): aside from guests can buy gifts from your registry, they can opt to contribute cash gifts, but The Knot will charge your website a 2.5% fee for each cash gift that you receive.
- The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner: For a minimum of $1000, The Knot provides you with a complete wedding planning service using all the features of this platform.
Step 2: Choose a Template
This step highly depends on how your decisions in Step 1 come out. If you choose to use the wedding website platform, then it’s time to pick a design that matches your wedding theme. That will come to your advantage, too, since once you pick the design, it won’t be hard to be consistent with the color scheme, font, and layout. Easier, right?
Now, if you chose the other options, like Wix and Squarespace it is best to use website template tools like Canva.
Why use Canva?
- Multiple website templates are available to choose from.
- The available templates are highly customizable! Say you found a beautiful template whose layout matches your wedding theme but not the color scheme. You can simply change the colors, font style, and font size.
- Websites with multiple pages? Canva features Bulk Create, which allows you to duplicate the designs you built from a single page.
- Want to upload the names of your guests on your website? Using again the Bulk Create feature, you can import the guest list from a google spreadsheet file! That saved you from direct encoding of your 150 guests.
This might be the most essential among the steps since this will dictate the overall look of your website. Anyone visiting your website, especially your guests, will start to feel how special this event will be. It will guide them into having the mood you want your wedding to be in.
Step 3: Add Important Details
Once you’ve chosen a platform and template, it’s time to add important details to your wedding website.
The must-have information in your wedding website:
- Location – the address, specifically, of the ceremony venue and after-ceremony venue. Placing a map is the best! Indicate landmarks, or if the address is searchable in virtual maps.
- Wedding roles: the entourage! They’ll love to see their names on your website.
- The event date and time. This is a no-brainer but is the most important one.
- Wedding theme. They might guess it through your website but it is better to be clear.
- Dress code. This is to ensure their adherence to your theme.
- Do’s and Dont’s. Can they use their mobile phones to take photos during the ceremony? Should they bring the wedding invitation to enter the venue? Are they required to wear face masks?
- The full program. Not all your guests have reserved the whole day for your event, so letting them know this information can help them plan on which parts of the event they don’t want to miss.
- Contact information. Provide them the chance to ask questions not mentioned in your website.
Step 4: Include Gift Registry Information
Your wedding website is also a great place to include gift registry information. Here are some tips:
- Be clear on what you prefer: a cash donation or a gift?
- Prefer gifts? Give them gift ideas to consider. You may list specific things or just give them categories like kitchenware, living room appliances, gardening tools, etc. Make sure to provide shop names or, better yet, online store links. Let them know specifics such as how much storage space you have in your home and which items you already own.
- Prefer cash donations? Share with them how you plan to spend it. It would feel different, in a good way, that you donated for something that helped out the couple you love.
Step 5: Add Photos and Videos
Tell them your story. Nothing helps more in ensuring the consistency of the mood than sharing with them the story behind how it all happened. To avoid being boring by making a biography-like story, use photos and videos that capture the whole story. Adding photos and videos to your wedding website can make it more personal and memorable. Consider adding engagement photos or videos, or photos of the wedding planning process. This can help guests feel more connected to the couple and the wedding.
Step 6: Create RSVP Forms
Creating RSVP forms on your wedding website can make it easier to keep track of guest attendance. Include a form that allows guests to RSVP and indicate any dietary restrictions or special requests. This can make it easier to plan for the wedding and the reception. Want to be more efficient? You might want to consider automating the RSVP forms. This way, tracking your guests and their needs will be easier.
Step 7: Test Your Website
Once you’ve created your wedding website, make sure to test it out before sharing it with guests. Make sure that all the links work and that the website is easy to navigate. Consider having a friend or family member test the website as well to make sure that it’s user-friendly.
Step 8: Share Your Website
Once your wedding website is complete, it’s time to share it with your guests. Include the website URL on your save-the-dates and invitations, and share it on social media. This can make it easier for guests to access important information about the wedding and stay updated on any changes or updates.
How to create a wedding website: A Summary
If you’re still not convinced whether having a wedding website is worth your time or not, remember that a beautiful and well-organized one does not need to stress the hell out of you. Planning your wedding website by following these 8 easy steps we discussed is the best way to start. With a well-designed and informative wedding website, couples can make the wedding planning process easier and more enjoyable for everyone involved.
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