So you’ve sent out a gorgeous invite (perhaps paper or digital) – that’s all the wedding comms done, right? Not necessarily.
If the last two years have taught us anything, when it comes to weddings we need to be somewhat flexible. Changes to plans are possible and an open channel of communication is your best friend when it comes to chatting with your guests. Cue the wedding website. And if you’re wondering what to include on your wedding website? You’re in the right place.
What is a wedding website?
A wedding website is pretty much what it says on the tin – it’s an online site that showcases all the info that your wedding guests may need to know about your wedding in one, digital, user friendly and completely editable place.
It will never get lost in the mail, it will never be unkind to the environment and will never stop being a source of ALL your wedding deets at the click of a link.
You may be thinking, with everything to organise when planning a wedding, is a website just One. More. Thing to prepare? The truth is, when it comes to sharing additional info that may not fit in print or updating your guests on last minute changes, a website can save you time and having 50 of the same conversation.
We’re going to take you through the following:
- When to set up a wedding website
- What to include on a wedding website
Let’s go.
When to set up a wedding website
The best time to set up your wedding website at the same point that you’re organising your invitations. Why? This way, you’ll be able to include a link to your wedding website on your invites that you send out.
Most couples choose to send out either a paper or digital wedding invitation, depending on their budget. Paper invitations obviously cost more due to paper-stock, printing and postage, while digital invitations can be a great way to save money on your wedding planning. We’ve broken down a list of things to include on your wedding invitations too, if you’d like to take a step back.
Either way, you can simply include a URL link to your wedding website at the bottom of your invitation, directing your guests to the site to find more information on your day.
* Tip: if your wedding website link is quite long, use a free URL shortener like Bitly or TinyURL to shorten it.
What to include on your wedding website
Here are the 12 most important things to include on your wedding website.
1. Ceremony/Reception location
The GOAT of info – your guests need to know where to head to celebrate you. Ensure to include the full address for both the ceremony and reception (if they are in different locations). Links to venue websites and map features are an added bonus, so guests can get a real feel for where your wedding will unfold.
2. Transport
How are we getting to and from the venue? Details on the best way to get there, parking, accessibility for prams, wheelchairs, guests with additional needs should all be included here.
If you are arranging transport on behalf of your guests (which is a great idea if you want your guests to be merry and get home safe), this is the place where you’ll detail pick up/drop off locations and timings.
If you’re not arranging transport, a note on the availability of Ubers and a number for the local taxi company doesn’t go astray.
3. Timing
When are the big things going down? We recommend including a separate guest arrival time and a ceremony time, for example 3:30pm guest arrival, for a 4pm ceremony. This really spells it out and guests are not questioning if they will be late.
Including the start and finish time of the reception is also super handy for guests arranging babysitting.
4. Dress code
Black tie, formal, cocktail, smart casual… there’s a whole range of wedding dress codes to, firstly, debunk, and then to choose from. Your guests probably realise this isn’t a time for activewear (although we’ve seen some doozies over time, we’ve gotta say) though it’s never a bad idea to give some direction. It’s also an opportunity to get creative – think of things like your venue location, time of year and your outfit and vision for the day to decide. Coastal chic, Farm fancy, Seasonal, Dress to Impress are all fun. Believe us: if you leave this off, you will be asked so save the individual texts and let everyone know in bulk.
5. Kids
Is your wedding a kid-friendly soirée or an adults only affair? It’s 100% your choice – just be sure to make this abundantly clear on your website. The more notice guests have, the more time they can make arrangements and join you to celebrate which ever way you choose. Remember, parents love a night off if they feel safe leaving their kids with a trusted adult, so info on nanny services, kids entertainment, breastfeeding facilities, grandparent accommodation options can all be mentioned here. And if you need a hand on how to tell guests their kids aren’t invited, we’ve got your back.
6. Gifts
Wedding registry? Wishing well? Charity donation? No gifts? It can sometimes be an awkward one to address, but to not address it leaves people confused and they will reach out.
Let’s be honest, it’s a big life milestone and most people will want to give you a gift. They also want to give you what you need. So don’t be afraid to tell them. If that’s cash, then great – don’t let anyone tell you it’s rude to ask for money, because it isn’t, rather it’s very standard now for Western weddings (and has been the norm for Eastern weddings for centuries).
Hot tip: if you’re looking for an online wedding registry with a difference, you need to check out Gravy. Gravy allows you to accept gifts of cash, time and good deeds in a beautiful way. Meaning, you can collect money contributions (and communicate what you’ll use them for, e.g. honeymoon fund, artwork, new puppy, IVF, crypto…), but most notably stuff that won’t cost your guests a cent, too.
Think help painting the house, blood donations, pet-sitting on your next holiday, pledges to do meat-free Mondays for a month – literally anything you can think of, you can ask for it using a Gravy registry. And you’ll be bringing your community closer to you and sharing things you’re passionate about in the process. Check out a sample registry here.
7. Wedding hashtag
Want to collate all the wonderful guest content from your day in one trusty place? Create a wedding hashtag and make it known on your website. It’s a fun keepsake to easily access memories at the click of a button. Equally, if you’re not keen for people to take and share photos of the day (an unplugged wedding), this can also be communicated here.
8. Pre and post wedding events
Whether it’s a formal rehearsal dinner, night-before pub catch up, late night after-party or recovery brunch, your wedding website is a brilliant place to share your wedding itinerary.
Provide all the details guests will need: think what, where, when and anything they need to bring or wear (i.e. swimmers and towel for a pool party). Don’t forget to include any of these events on your final RSVP if you need to know numbers.
9. Accommodation details
You might be having a destination wedding where you and your guests will be travelling for the weekend. Or you might be having a local wedding, but inviting guests who are out of towners. Either way, it’s likely some people will need to arrange accommodation and doing some of the ground work for them will be so appreciated. Research some awesome options and provide links to reserve a room. Remember to try cater to a range or budgets, styles and room sizes.
10. Wet weather plan
Planning an outdoor ceremony? A wet weather back up plan is your trusted insurance policy. If your wet-weather plan includes a new location, or even a new time, pop it on your wedding website and encourage your guests to refer to your website on the day to find out what the final plan for the day is.
11. Special dietary requirements
Food, glorious, food – it’s usually a decent part of the day (and budget), so you want all to enjoy! A reminder for your guests to express dietary requirements is welcome here. It will make your life easier when collating this info for your caterer and guests won’t feel like they’re being a burden having to message you privately about their needs. Most websites have options to export info into a spreadsheet which is SO helpful.
12. RSVP
Let’s close out with the back-up to the GOAT of info, which is the inclusion of the RSVP. Forget the clunky card to snail mail back or the wedding email address created for people to write to. Make it a click of a button: attending or not, and be done with it. Include any other elements that pertain to your big day (the aforementioned transport, additional events and dietary stuff) and you’re good to go. Easy for your guests, easy for you to manage.
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NEXT UP:
What to include on your wedding invitations.
Discover We Do Crew: the wedding planning membership that’s like having a wedding planner in your pocket.
Set up an online wedding gift registry over at Gravy: it’s the most unique, heart-felt registry in the world.
