How to Build a Wedding Website: Guide + Tips

Wedding websites aren’t exactly a new concept. They are, though, a modern and easy way to gather all your wedding details in one place for you and your guests as you prepare for your big day. You can’t print all the venue details, travel and transportation notes, and accommodations suggestions on your paper invites after all. So, consider your wedding website a one-stop-shop for all of that (plus, fun things like the story of how you met and sharing your engagement photos and even details about the wedding party)! We can explain further. Here are seven reasons to make a beautiful wedding website—and a step-by-step guide on how to share it once you do.

What is a wedding website?

A personal wedding website is a website created by an engaged couple. Its primary purpose is to act as a central hub for your guests to access information about your wedding day or weekend. Typically, wedding websites include details on the date, location, travel plans, and even the dress code for your wedding. Modern updates to these websites—like tracking RSVPs—are also backend tools that can aid in the planning process.

Benefits of a Wedding Website

Your wedding website serves as an all-in-one platform for you and your guests. These are some of the major benefits.

• It’s Convenient For Guests. Let’s be honest: Some guests are probably going to lose their wedding invitations. Directing them to a website with all they could need is simpler than giving them the entire rundown yourself. Your website will also provide information that isn’t included in your paper suite, which means you don’t have to be answering the same questions repeatedly.
• No-Hassle Updates. Last-minute information you need to share? No problem. Adding it to your website is far simpler than trying to contact everyone individually. If your website or app allows you to send alerts to guests, do that. If not, send a quick email to your guest listserve and ask everyone to please check the site for an update.
• Keep Information Organized. Wedding planning can be a bit, well, all over the place. Having a place to add and look back at all your day-of information can be a lifesaver for you and guests.
• Skip Repetition. Avoid an avalanche of queries through call and text by having everyone refer to the website for all their need-to-knows.

Photo Credit // Unsplash

Reasons to Make a Wedding Website

It’s simple—your wedding website can do a lot for you.

• Manage and organize information. As we mentioned, this is a space to include all the information that doesn’t fit on your save-the-dates or invitations. This can include your schedule, travel and lodging logistics, directions and parking, dress code, and more. Anticipate the questions your guests will ask and cover the answers on your site. You can even put this in the form of an FAQ.

• Easy registry access. You can note your registry on your invitations, but wouldn’t it just be easier to share a direct link? Integrate your Zola registry directly into your wedding website instead. Simply navigate to the registry page while editing, click “Add Existing Registry,” and it’s done. No hassling from one platform to the next. When we said all in one, we meant it.

• Share your couple story. Your wedding website isn’t just a place to share information. It’s a space to share your unique love story. Your close friends and family may know your couple's origin story, but others may not. Share the story of how you met to build excitement for guests. Add photos from your proposal, engagement photo session, or some cute blasts from the past for a personal touch.

• Track RSVPs. Keeping track of RSVPs sent back by mail can be inconvenient. Luckily, with one of Zola’s free wedding websites, you can collect and track them online. Set it up as your building and include a link to the RSVP on your invitation. Guests can simply navigate to the online RSVP forms page and submit their replies. Still keep an eye on the mail, though, just in case.

• Create a matching paper suite. Let’s be clear: We love a paper suite, and your wedding website is no replacement for a classic physical invitation and save the date. In fact, you can create a wedding website that matches your paper suite.

• Share photos and videos after the wedding. You might not want to flood your social media channels with every single image that your wedding photographer snaps that day (or maybe you do, which is totally OK). Upload photos from your wedding day to create a quick, familiar place for guests—or anyone who couldn’t attend–to view. If you want to get a bit tech-savvy, you can even create a page for your wedding hashtag and watch your loved ones’ own photos roll in. Or even create photo galleries for the different events.

• It’s easy and free. The amount of time you’d spend answering questions far outweighs the short time it takes to create your own free wedding website. Set aside an hour of time to build your wedding website with your partner. You can bond together about your history and also be on the same page for all of your wedding details.

Photo Credit // Zola

How to Make Your Free Wedding Website

You don’t have to be a genius at coding to create your own wedding website. In fact, it only takes a few steps.

1. Sign up with Zola and find Website on the navigation bar.
2. Pick an overall design for your site. Don’t stress—from minimalistic to floral to classic, there’s a style for every couple and theme.
3. Customize everything. Make your website personal by filling out the template with your wedding details. Take it a step further by adding stories, photos, links to your registry, and any other personal or helpful touches.
4. Publish. Just like that, your wedding website is out and available to see. Need more details? We got you.

How to Share Your Wedding Website

Now it’s time to share your wedding website with your guests—emphasis on your guests. Don’t blast your wedding website out to your social channels or anyone not invited to your wedding. Sharing your site with people beyond your guest list can create confusion. Plus, once it’s public on the internet, anyone can access the details of your day, which isn’t ideal. You can make your wedding website private and include a code for guests to access the pages.

To share your wedding website, include the URL on your save-the-dates and invitations. You can also place a call out to your website on physical RSVP inserts if you’re including them (we recommend you still do!) so guests know to RSVP via your site.

Where to Place Your Wedding Website URL

Add your wedding website information below any standard wedding invitation wording (so, below the venue information). Your wording can be something like this:

• “For more information, please visit URL”
• “Kindly RSVP by RSVP deadline at URL”

A polished, informative wedding website may look difficult to achieve, but it’s ultimately easy and entirely practical—and, with Zola, it’s free!

Zola, The Best Wedding Website Builder

When you build your wedding website design on Zola, you are option for an easy set-up and so much variety! The number of custom wedding website templates you can find here is amazing and you can customize the site design based in your wedding colors or overall vibe. Aside from the customizable wedding site, you will also see that third party sites are integrated on Zola which means your guests won’t have to go to another site to purchase different brands when buying from your gift registry.

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and set up your wedding website and wedding registry at Zola now to take advantage of all the benefits and enjoy peace of mind as you prepare for your big day.