I am frequently asked by couples I’m working with, “do we need a wedding website?” The answer is always “YES!” Here’s why…
- Your Wedding Website will provide your family and invited guests with the information they need, otherwise, they would call, text, or email you the endless questions they have. Think of the amount of time you are saving by directing all your “to be invited guests” to one location with all the information they will ask. To communicate all your details, from ceremony start time, hotel recommendations, and nearest airport are a must for all your guests, especially those who will be traveling.
- You will still send out formal invitations, but your family and friends will start to plan their day, weekend, or extended stay as soon as they have received their “Save the Date” in the mail. On that “Save the Date”, besides letting your “to be invited guests” know your wedding date and town/city for the celebration, you are also providing them with the Wedding Website link, to check-in and check out frequently.
- The Wedding Website will tell your story as a couple, how you met, how you were proposed to, and who will be standing with you at your wedding party. Best friends, college roommates, and siblings. Tell your story and why you are in love. Everyone wants to know and will be asking if you don’t put it out there for them to read themselves.
- The Wedding Website is to provide the need-to-know information about the wedding. You will provide everything from the proper dress for the celebration, from beach comfortable to black tie. You will be informing all the invited guests of other activities for the event, a day in the park, on the beach, outdoor picnic, and volleyball, if those are in your plans. Again, all your information is in one spot, so there is no reason for anyone to arrive uninformed.
- Providing your guests with where everything is to take place and how to prepare. If you have chosen a mountain top with a little bit of a hike, letting your guests know to wear comfortable shoes for the walk to the ceremony site, and a change of shoes for dancing later is a thoughtful thing to provide. Weather concerns and advice for a light jacket or umbrella can be updated on your site. The more your guests know, the less stressed they will be as they are prepared.
- Letting your guests know of your wedding registry, and the link and names your registry is under. You should never put your wedding registry on the formal wedding invitation.
- Making recommendations for hotels, your favorite restaurants, and providing a list of local attractions and places to visit while in town is another thoughtful thing to add. I find when your guests are informed of how the weekend will flow, and if they are traveling, they will arrive early and make a vacation out of the trip. They will plan to see some of the sites and local attractions. You want your family and friends to enjoy the location and why you chose it for your wedding celebration.
- Update the guests with information, changes, and things they should know about. I always provide my couple with information for their website as to the effects of high altitude, dehydration, and sunburn effects for high altitude celebrations in the mountains.
- Your Wedding Website will provide your guests with a brief timeline for the wedding. As most guests do not remember to bring the actual wedding invitation with them, they usually don’t remember the start time of the ceremony and the address; the reception time and address, and any other events that ALL guests are invited to. If the wedding rehearsal dinner is only for a few guests, for example, do not put that information on your website. You will have guests show up with not enough seating. If all guests are invited, add that information to your Wedding Website.
- Update changes and valuable information for your guests frequently. Add photos of your family and friends, recent adventures involving your family and friends with the journey of you planning for their arrival to celebrate with you. Your invited family and friends will arrive for your wedding celebration feeling as though they have taken that journey with you, following along. It’s a project for both of you to do together. Time planning together encourages couples to schedule time together, work on projects together, and keep each other involved with the process. You are in this together!
Wedding Website Recommendations which include easy-to-do templates:
The Knot: https://www.theknot.com/gs/wedding-websites-1
Wedding Wire: https://www.weddingwire.com/tools/website-wizard?actionReferrer=3
Minted.com: https://www.minted.com/wedding-websites
Zola Websites: https://www.zola.com/wedding/onboard/wedding-website?question=NAME
WIX: https://www.wix.com/
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