Once you’ve secured a wedding date and found a venue, it’s time to create your wedding website. As the digital hub for all your wedding information, your site is a must-have for guests. And if you’re wondering how to create a wedding website for free, The Knot has plenty of resources to help you create a hub that’s both useful and personalized.
Think of it this way: The last thing you want to worry about is answering the same questions from guests before your wedding day. Your site is the space to share important information about your nuptials, from the location to your wedding party to dress code details. By including all of the wedding details on your site, you’ll have a place to direct guests if they reach out with questions you’ve already answered. So if you’re wondering how to create a wedding website (free), we’ve broken down everything you need to know in a step-by-step guide. Learn how to get started here, and then get creative by creating a site for your wedding day.
Select a Template
If you’re not sure how to create a wedding website, start by researching companies that specialize in creating custom websites. Once you’ve chosen the wedding website builder you want to use, select a template. Explore all the available options and choose the one that best represents you and your S.O. And, if you build your wedding website with The Knot, you can also find free templates to match your invitation set to make your site feel personalized to you.
You can even change the URL to match your names or your wedding hashtag. A custom web address is a unique piece of personalization and will be much easier to type in a browser. Plus, if you want your guests to actually use your wedding website, you’ll want to make it as user-friendly as possible, which means everyone from your tech-savvy best friend to your great-aunt should be able to easily find your wedding. . website.
Write a welcome message
Once the layout is selected, start writing a welcome message. This is the first page guests will see when they find your wedding website, so welcome them. Most wedding website templates will have a text box to write a welcome message, but what you put in the space is up to you.
The most important information to include, however, is their names, the date and location of the wedding. Of all the details of the wedding, these are the most valuable to the guests, so include it from the beginning. You can then write a short and simple note, or share more intimate details about your relationship and the proposal. Get creative and let your personalities shine through. Guests will love reading more about how you met and got engaged, so including those details is a great idea if you’re up for it.
Share Engagement Photos
Once you’ve written your welcome message and love story, back up your words with pictures. You probably have a lot of sweet photos from your proposal and engagement photo shoot, so pick your favorites and add them to your wedding website. These images will make your site shine; After all, there’s no better way to personalize it than by sharing photos of yourself. Also, your loved ones will enjoy watching your favorite photos together. (Pro tip: To make it even more unique, add some photos from the early days of your relationship so everyone can admire your transformations.)
Introduce Your Wedding Party
Once you’ve introduced yourself, write biographies for your wedding party. They’ll be by your side when you say “I do,” so take the time to introduce them to guests. You can keep it simple and just include their names and roles, or go a step further and share some fun facts about them. While not required, doing so will add color to your wedding website. Plus, your loved ones will be curious about who you’ve selected to be a part of your big day and why. Write a few lines about when you met, your favorite memories together, and why you are involved in your wedding. Your friends will appreciate the special greeting on your wedding website.
Include dress code information
Once your guests receive their invitations in the mail, they’ll be wondering what to wear. Even if you include your dress code on the stationery, they’ll likely want more clarity, especially if you’ve requested a unique outfit like smart casual or formal for the beach. To ease fashion concerns (and ensure all guests are dressed correctly), expand the dress code on your wedding website. This is the place to give examples and explain what you really mean. So if by “smart casual” you envision lightweight cocktail and midi dresses and dress shirts and chinos, add those details.
You won’t have space to explain your dress code in full on your formal invitations, so it’s important to go into detail on your wedding website.To avoid getting any last minute dress code questions in the days leading up to your wedding, eliminate any confusion by writing exactly what you want to say on your site.
Collect RSVPs
Your wedding website is another tool for collecting RSVPs from guests. The Knot has an added feature to accept virtual responses, so your guests can easily use your site to reserve their place. Plus, having all the responses in one place makes it easy for you to keep track of your guest list.
If you go the traditional route and send out paper response cards, you can still use your site to remind guests of the RSVP date. Just use this section to share the day you need all the answers; By including this information on your invitations and on your wedding website, you can help guests stay on top of your desired timeline.
Link to Your Registry
Guests will want to give you gifts to celebrate your engagement and marriage. But, since this is not a requirement, traditional etiquette says that it is not appropriate to include registration information on your formal invitations. Despite this, your loved ones will want to search your wish list for gifts they’ll actually love (and use). To make shopping as easy as possible, link your registry to your wedding website. (Psst: With The Knot, you can easily add your registry to your wedding website for a stress-free process.)
Doing so will help your guests fulfill their wish list and get the gifts they really want. Plus, by including the information they need, it’s a great way to make sure your wedding website gets a lot of us. After all, if you’re going to spend a lot of time and effort building it, you want your guests to use it.
Add Travel Addresses and Lodging
No matter your wedding venue, some (or all) of your guests will be traveling to attend. Help facilitate your planning by including addresses and lodging arrangements on your wedding website. This is the place to include information about the hotel blocks you have reserved, the transport you have arranged for the wedding day, and directions from nearby airports, train stations, or cities. The more detailed this tab is, the better. Guests will likely have travel questions, and you won’t have time to answer them all on your wedding day. To make the experience seamless for everyone involved, include as much information as you can.
Offer personalized recommendations
Finish off your wedding website by adding personalized recommendations for local restaurants and activities. Chances are your guests will have some free time over your wedding weekend, so they’ll appreciate having a list of suggested interesting places to visit.
Offering personalized recommendations is another creative way to personalize your site. If you’re getting married in your current city, encourage guests to visit the restaurant where you had your first date or the restaurant you go to every weekend. For destination weddings, offer suggestions for venues that are popular with locals. By giving your personal recommendations, your guests will get a personalized tour of the city where they will be getting married. Not only is it a fun way to engage them, but your site will become a valuable resource for your loved ones.
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