Guys, let’s face it. It’s almost 2020 and every engaged couple needs to have a wedding website… and for good reason! It’s the easiest way to share info with your guests that’s too long or too complicated to put on your invitations. Plus, as the big day gets closer, your website is a great way to keep all of your guests in the loop. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, once you sit down with us to talk all things wedding websites, you may find yourself unsure of which details to include and which ones to skip. Don’t worry…we’ve got you covered…
1. Your wedding’s location.
The first thing guests will want to know is where exactly the wedding and reception will be held. Guests coming from out of town will be worried about things like parking and how long it will take them to drive from the ceremony to cocktail hour, so make sure the details are there and easy for non-locals to understand.
2. Where to stay and what else to do in town.
If you’re booking hotel rooms for your guests, put the relevant info (including important dates and deadlines) on your website. You should also suggest hotels close to the airport, and transportation services (like Uber, or Yango). Also, guests always appreciate a list of the best restaurants, shopping, clubs, and other things to do during their trip.
3. The schedule for the wedding weekend.
Most guests just want to be told where they need to be and when, so be sure to include info the ceremony and reception start times, as well as extra events like the after-party and morning-after brunch. But only include the events where everyone is welcome to avoid any unexpected gate crashers!
4. Your preferred contact info.
How would you like people to get in touch with you if they have questions or concerns? Making it clear on the website can help you stay organized. We suggest creating a separate email address that is only used for interacting with your vendors, and sharing that email address with your guests too. That way, you won’t forget to respond to your cousin who Facebook messages you about whether or not she can bring her children to your wedding. You should also create an email address for your wedding planner if you have one!
5. A few photos of you and your partner.
If you had engagement photos taken, this is a great place to display them! But don’t go overboard. One of guests’ biggest problems with wedding websites (and yes, some people dislike them) is the gallery of 500 photos. So pick the best ones from your engagement session or just a couple of your favorite snapshots of you and your fiance, and then move on. Be sure to include our hashtag integration feature which pulls all photos and videos from Instagram with your hashtag! (NB: this is different from the gallery)
Also, don’t forget to include your hashtag!
6. Your love story.
If you and your fiance have been dating since high school and everyone attending the wedding knows you both well, you can definitely skip this section. But if you’re having a big wedding with a lot of extended family who don’t know you or your intended very well, give some background info! Share what you do for a living, what your hobbies are, and how the two of you met.
7. Your bridal party.
Even if your guests know you well, it’s possible they don’t know anything about your bridal party. And because they are likely to interact with some of these people separately (like when they receive a wedding shower invite from your maid of honor), it’s nice to provide your squad’s names, photos, and a line or two about how you know each other on the website.
8. The wedding attire.
If you have a specific dress code, here is the place to state it! You could also include any useful tips for dressing for the weather or venue. For example: “Accra is really hot in December, pack a portable fan! ” or “The ceremony is in a garden, so consider wearing wedges instead of heels!”
9. Your Registry details.
All you need to is to give them the link and password to your Always Ever After Gift Registry and the guests will take it from there! Need help getting started on a registry? Check out our registry guide.
10. Honeymoon info.
TOTALLY OPTIONAL, but your guests may be wondering if you’re taking a honeymoon, so it doesn’t hurt to include a little info. We recommend sharing a beautiful picture of your destination and a couple details: “We’re so excited to head to Bora Bora! We can’t wait to go snorkeling!
Ultimately, remember that your wedding website is there as a way to make life easier for your guests. Focus on their needs; Easy to navigate, works on mobile view etc! Luckily we always have you covered!
Get started on your wedding website here
