Remember when all wedding information had to be included on the invitation? And as a guest, you had absolutely no idea what other things to prepare for until you arrived and read through your welcome bag? Archaic right? These days people are planning their entire wedding online, from invitations via paperless post to online RSVPs and google hangouts with their planners. A fully digital wedding might not be for all, but one thing every modern couple must have is a wedding website. Guests expect details, from a weekend itinerary to registry locations and suggestions of sights to see around town—no one wants to wait for information. With that in mind, we put together five tips you should keep in mind when building your own wedding website.
1) Your Website Should Not Be Expensive
Weddings are expensive enough, don’t let the wedding website add to the bill. There are many different ways to make a professional looking websites without the cost and tech knowledge you think you might need. Squarespace and WordPress provide almost complete customization for just a few hundred dollars, while The Knot, Appy Couple, and Minted have even cheaper options.
2) Give The People What They Want
Let’s be honest, most guests will look at your site once or twice before the big day to get the lay of the land, but they will be on it several times throughout the actual wedding weekend. So make sure all the key information is up front and accessible: where they need to be and when, if there will be transportation to take them to and from, and the dress code are all musts. Plus, it should absolutely be mobile friendly!
3) Don’t Go Overboard On The Details
While personal touches are of course important, keep your entire dating history and wedding party bios to a minimum. You and your fiancée can include a personal note mentioning how excited you are for the weekend and thanking guests in advance for attending, with a few details about how you met, or the engagement story, but don’t get overly detailed. And recently, we’ve noticed brides and grooms including their wedding party on their website too, but a simple name and photo will suffice. We do not need to know that the groom met groomsmen #4 over tequila shots at a tiki bar in Cabo.
4) Ditto On The Photos
It is up to each couple if they choose to take engagement photos, but if you do, you should not post more than a few on your wedding website. Candid photos of your time as a couple are completely acceptable (and encouraged!) and combined with engagement photos can be a great way for the guests to get to know you even more.
5) Registry Information Is Important
No matter how you’ve set up your registry, you should include the details on your wedding website. Do this with links that take guests directly to your registry page. If that isn’t possible for some reason, provide details on how to shop in person and what name the registry is listed under.
