Wedding Websites: Everything You Need To Know - Eternity
Flower
Flower

Wedding Websites: Everything You Need To Know

2nd March 2022

Wedding planning can be a time-consuming and overwhelming process, but modern technology (hint: check out our Mobile App!) has made it easier than ever to organise all the details of your big day. 

Wedding websites have become increasingly popular, and if you have ever used one, you’ll know exactly why. It’s an online platform that provides guests with all the information they need to know about your wedding; from details about the venue, the dress code, any ceremony details etc.

Keep reading to explore the many advantages of wedding websites and explain why they are an essential tool for modern couples.

IN THIS BLOG:

All About Wedding Websites

WEDDING WEBSITE FAQs

When should I make a wedding website?

The sooner, the better. Your wedding website doesn’t have to have all the final details, it’s ok to say ‘further information to follow’, but it’s a really lovely place to direct your guests to hear / view more about your proposal and any initial save the dates.

Are they safe?

Displaying your special moments & wedding details can sound quite unsafe, but luckily for everyone, wedding websites have specific privacy features which allow you to pick and choose which pieces of information you wish to display.

Some wedding websites also offer you your own specific domain, so you can keep this to look at for years to come. 

What should I include in my wedding website?

The list is endless!

Basic information: wedding dates, location, dress code, how to RSVP, any basic transportation / accommodation information.

Additional information: your proposal story, fun excursions nearby, the main point of contact for your guests (not the couple!), honeymoon basics.

Are they free?

Each website varies. You can scroll down to see the full list of websites we recommend.

Some will be 100% free, others will have some free elements and some paid elements, and others are 100% paid.

BENEFITS OF WEDDING WEBSITES

Consistent communication

One of the most significant benefits of a wedding website is the ability to communicate all the wedding details in one place – rather than one of those multiple family group chats, which are mainly used to send good morning messages & desi memes (!).

You can include everything, ranging from: the wedding date, time, and location, as well as accommodation and travel information. You can even include links to maps and directions, making it easier for guests to plan their trip.

The biggest benefit of this is the amount of time you save, relative to individually messaging everyone, which often leads to starting a general conversation after (this is great, but not when you just have a quick update and want to save the general chit chat for later).

Streamlined RSVPs

The RSVP process can be time-consuming, especially if you’re managing responses through phone calls, texts, or emails. A wedding website simplifies the process by allowing guests to RSVP online.

Not only is this more convenient for guests, but it also makes it easier for you to track responses and plan accordingly. Some websites go into depth and show you incredible analytics about how many guests have opened your e-invite, or are yet to open it.

You can also easily send reminders to your guests, to help chase those who are taking a little bit longer to get back to you(!).

Personalise & customise

Honestly, these have really come a long way in the recent years, and the customisation options for your wedding website are endless!

From the envelope colour, to the texture of the card, you can truly bring your dream invite to life in a range of ways. You can either choose from the existing templates and designs, or pay that little bit extra to personalise them further to reflect your style.

Tons of couples love to add their pre-wedding images, engagement shoots, and ‘their story’ to their website. This information is usually missed out of traditional physical invites, so the options really are endless when it comes to creating your wedding website.

Simplified gift registry management

If you are opting for a gift registry (which we 100% recommend by the way, it’s an extremely fun way to get your guests involved or contributing to the start of your new journey), then a wedding website is the best place to note down your gift registry details.

Not sure what to add to your gift registry? Check out our starter list here.

Cost effective

Culturally, the likelihood is that most couples will definitely still have physical wedding invites, however, they may have fewer as they try to become more sustainable with their wedding planning.

With reduced costs of printing all your save the dates and invites, wedding websites are a more cost effective way to share the information further.

If you are planning a mixture, browse through our talented wedding stationery providers here.

All About Wedding Websites

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER ON YOUR FAQs

Your wedding website is the best source to answer all those FAQs. The best part about it is that you can have well thought out answers to those tricky and slightly *awkward* questions that you don’t particularly enjoy asking.

You and your partner should sit through and be sure to answer the following:

1. How do I RSVP?

2. When should I RSVP by?

3. Can I bring a +1?

4. Are children allowed? (check out everything you need to consider when deciding on having children at your weddings here)

5. If only one of us can make it, can I bring someone else along with me?

6. What’s the parking situation?

7. Do you have a gift registry? (if yes, check out these incredible must-have gifting items here)

8. Where can I send my dietary restrictions?

9. What time are carriages?

10. If we have questions that haven’t been addressed here, who should we contact?

do's and dont's of wedding websites

DO: Make it user friendly

At the end of the day, the wedding website should make your guests lives easier, not confuse them to the point where they need to message you to learn how to navigate the site. 

Bare in mind that you may also have an older crowd, who may not necessarily be as tech-savvy. Ensure you have all the relevant information, but avoid information overload.

DON'T: Overdo it

Whilst creating a wedding website is truly extremely fun, you don’t want it to be all time-consuming and take away from other wedding admin. So many couples get caught up in the colour schemes, the fonts, the imagery, which is all great, but be aware of the rest of your checklist and allocate time accordingly.

DO: Start early!

Your wedding website will never be complete in your first sitting, so be sure to start it in advance and iteratively add to it.

It’s often recommended to start creating the website around 8 months in advance, and finalise it 2-3 months in advance.

DON'T: Leave it until the last minute

We all know that leaving a task to the last minute can be added stress, and you often forget all the key details in a rush. Any couples who used wedding websites have said that they would often come back to it to update it over the months, and it looked completely different to how it did at the beginning.

DO: Use a template

Gone are the days of creating websites from scratch! Using a template, which can be personalised, will save you so much time and hassle. It will already have all the default options of things for you to add: ie., guest list, dress code, things to do etc. – saving you the headache.

Check out our recommended wedding websites below.

DON'T: Write essays throughout

Whilst it can be tempting to write heartfelt amounts about your journey, your engagement, and your big day; always think of the end user and whether it’s the right place to write ample amounts about yourself. A few short sentences are necessary, but no need to go overboard.

DO: Outline the rough order of events & dress codes

Any South Asian wedding is bound to have tons of events & outfit changes. Provide your guests with tons of clarity on the arrival timings, start times, and dress codes. Don’t be afraid to be specific – vague dress codes are the worst. 

No need to write the entire order of events, just a high level summary is enough for the wedding website.

DON'T: Feel pressured by others

Easier said than done, as always.

Think of this as your wedding card, you wouldn’t get feedback from everyone once you’ve sent it, right? Often with wedding websites, guests think it’s easy to tweak or add different elements of information, and couples can easily feel pressured into doing it.

Whilst it may be a small ask, it ends up being another thing on your to-do list which just isn’t as necessary.

TOP WEDDING WEBSITES

We recommend SayIDo – it’s one of the best & easiest wedding website platforms out there. Tried & tested by tons of our couples.

It helps you plan & curate your entire website, for your guests to easily jump on and RSVP with ease, as well as, curate your seating plan for your couples too.

TRENDING