Wedding Website Do’s and Don’ts

wedsites-blog-wedding-website-dos-donts

It’s no secret that having a wedding website is one of the easiest ways to streamline your wedding planning process, communicate with your guests, and save hours of time. Creating a wedding website is definitely a smart move for savvy brides wanting to embrace modern technology.

But here comes the tricky part: filling that wedding website with the right information and making it both functional and creative, without oversharing, offending anybody or forgetting anything crucial. Eek… sounds a little overwhelming when you put it like that!

When it comes to creating your wedding website, there are some definite must-dos along with some serious faux pas! Although your website should be personal to you and your partner, there are a few basic guidelines to follow when it comes to your website inclusions.

Luckily, wedding websites are kinda our thing, so we’re here to take the stress out of it for you! Read on for our comprehensive list of Do’s and Don’t to help you navigate your way through the process and create the perfect wedding website.

wedding-website-dos-and-donts
Photography: Oliver Fly
Styling: Bali Event Styling

DO: Make It Functional

At the end of the day, this is essentially the true purpose of your wedding website. It will become a go-to resource for your guests to find all of the information they might need for the big day. So it goes without saying that your wedding website should be easy to navigate, especially if you have an older crowd that might not be particularly tech-savvy!

Make sure your wedding website has an easy to follow layout and navigation bar so that your information can be communicated clearly and effectively.

DON’T: Get Caught up in the Bells and Whistles

Before you go crazy with colors, fonts, graphics and background music, stop to think about if you might just be detracting from the practical side of things.

Take a step back and imagine yourself as a new guest visiting your wedding website for the very first time. Is it cluttered and overwhelming? If so, you might want to pare it back and simplify things to make it more user-friendly.

DO: Include an Online RSVP

One of the very best features of a wedding website is the ability to receive RSVPs online, so choose a wedding website platform that has this added inclusion. Tracking your guest list through your wedding website means your RSVPs are always easily accessible in the one place.

DON’T: Waste Time Chasing People Up

You’d be surprised how many brides say that following up RSVPs is one of their biggest and most time-consuming struggles. The solution? Use a wedding website platform that can track your RSVPs for you and send reminders to follow up your guests automatically, so that you don’t have to worry about spending hours chasing them up.

wedding-website-dos-and-donts
Photography: The Great Romance Photo
Stationery: Mari Chang

DO: Include All of the Necessary Details

Make sure you have covered all of the basic information your guests will require, like the date, timings and location. Once you have the essentials covered, you can elaborate on the areas that might need more clarification like parking or transportation.

DON’T: Be Vague

The whole point of a wedding website is to save you time answering the same questions over and over again, so be specific with the information you are providing! Anything that you would like to avoid countless phone calls about should definitely be included on your wedding website.

Think about the weddings you have attended as a guest in the past. What were the details you really wanted to know about prior to the day? Use your previous experience as a wedding attendee to help you with your website inclusions.

DO: Give Your Guests a Heads up on the Dress Code

Feeling under or overdressed can be one of the most uncomfortable feelings at any social event. There’s nothing worse than the element of surprise, so give your guests a heads up on what to expect for the big day so that they can plan their outfit to suit.

If you need help figuring out which dress code to choose, check out this article to decode the different dress codes!

DON’T: Tell People Exactly What to Wear

There’s a fine line between advising on the dress code and straight up telling your guests what they should wear! Don’t get specific with sentences like “evening gowns only” or “suit and tie please”.

You want your guests to be comfortable, so don’t dictate any specific requirements when it comes to their outfits. Instead, use a simple sentence like ‘black tie affair’ or ‘relaxed backyard barbecue’ to give your guests the low-down on the ambiance of the day, without being pushy.

wedding-website-dos-and-donts
Photography: KT Merry
Venue: Bella Collina

DO: Outline How the Day Is Going to Run

People like to know what to expect for the big day so that they can plan accordingly. If you are hosting a short ceremony and then having guests walk a fair distance to the next venue, let them know. If you have arranged for nibbles throughout the night but no set meal, let them know!

Any details that require pre-planning from your guests (like wearing appropriate shoes or eating beforehand) should definitely be outlined on your wedding website.

DON’T: Include Exclusive Events

Maybe you have arranged for a post-wedding brunch for family and close friends, or have a wild hens night planned for the bridal party. But don’t include these individual events on your wedding website unless all of the guests are invited!

It’s best to organize these events separately instead of displaying them on your wedding website so that nobody feels excluded.

DO: Get in Early

It’s best to get your wedding website created sooner rather than later. If you’re working on a 12-month wedding planning timeline, we recommend getting your website started at the 6-month mark and sending out the link at the 2-3 month mark.

Some wedding website platforms also offer a task-management feature where you can outline all of the tasks that need to be actioned before the big day. If this is the case, you can start utilizing your wedding website from the very beginning of the planning process to stay on track!

DON’T: Leave It Until the Last Minute

Trying to do anything at the last minute undoubtedly means stressful moments, a lot of pressure, and the end result not being as great as you had imagined. Don’t risk forgetting important details or making mistakes by procrastinating on your wedding website – trust us!

wedding-website-dos-and-donts
Photography: Julie Livingston Photography
Florals: Wildflowers Inc

DO: Use a Template

With the million and one other things you have to do before the big day, can you imagine trying to create your own website from scratch? Talk about time-consuming!

Find a wedding website platform that has a selection of templates that you love to make the process much easier. You’d be surprised how many beautiful templates are available to choose from.

DON’T: Be Afraid to Personalise Your Template

Just because you’re working from a template, it doesn’t mean you can’t put your own unique stamp on it. The images and the text you include will help make your wedding website totally personalised to you and your partner, so don’t be afraid to get creative with it!

DO: Write About Yourself

You might feel shy when it comes to talking about yourself, but a little bit of background information goes a long way when it comes to connecting with your guests before the wedding.

More than likely, there will be a handful of guests that you have only met once or twice through your partner. A short paragraph on who you are along with an insight into your relationship can really help turn strangers into friends.

DON’T: Write an Essay

We’re talking short and sweet. Don’t feel like you need to write an autobiography to describe you and your beau! Just a few sentences to allow people to get to know you, and a brief description of how you guys met is the perfect touch.

DO: Introduce Your Bridal Party

Your bridal party are going to be front and center all day and night, so a small introduction on your wedding website can be a great way to break the ice between them and your guests. It’s also a nice way to give a grateful shout-out to your bridal crew for being such a special part of your day!

DON’T: Embarrass Them

Even if you think you have the most hilarious stories to share about your bridesmaids or groomsmen, your wedding website might not be the most appropriate forum to share them!

Keep in mind that your website can be accessed by all of your guests for the months leading up to your wedding, so whatever you choose to share is there for everyone to see. Save the funny stories for your wedding speech instead!

wedding-website-dos-and-donts
Photography: Laura Gordon Photography
Florals: Molly Ryan Floral

DO: Include Images of You and Your Partner

A few snaps of you and your partner is a really sweet touch and a way to make your website feel more personal. Maybe you have a beautiful engagement snap or a favorite couple of photos that have special memories for you. Don’t be afraid to put your faces up on your wedding website to share the love!

DON’T: Go Overboard

As much as your guests might love you, they probably don’t need to scroll through albums upon albums filled with every single photo you have ever taken together. Try to keep it capped at a selection of your favorites, but leave the photo albums for you guys to enjoy at home!

DO: Include Your Partner

Believe it or not, creating your wedding website can actually be a great activity for you and your partner to work on together. Write funny descriptions about each other, take a trip down memory lane as you reminisce on how you met, and get excited about the big day ahead!

DON’T: Feel Pressured by Other People’s Opinions

At the end of the day, this is YOUR wedding website, so don’t feel pressured by anyone else’s opinion but your own. Although these guidelines are helpful to follow, your wedding website is totally up to you and a way to express yourself and your love.

Creating your wedding website doesn’t have to be stressful if you have a game plan to work from! Keeping the above tips in mind will help you avoid any major faux pas while ensuring you have both a beautiful and functional wedding website to keep both you and your guests organized in the lead up to your day.

And most importantly – get excited! If you’re creating your wedding website, it means that the big day is getting closer, and that’s something to be celebrated.

If you’re ready to get started on your wedding website, you check out our review of the best free and paid wedding website builders currently on the market.