Getting all of your wedding information out to your guests can be a challenge. In order to streamline all of the important details, many couples have started making personal wedding websites so their guests have a place to find out anything they need to know! This will save you from calls and texts from friends and relatives asking you the same questions about what to wear and what you want as a gift. Having this website also saves you from having to send out multiple letters and emails with updated information. If this sounds like something that would be helpful for your wedding, keep reading to find out some tips and tricks for what you should include.
General Info:
When you first go to set up your wedding website, the first thing that you can include are the names of the bride and groom, the date of your wedding, the time that guests should arrive, and the location that they should go to. With this information as the first thing that your guests see, they will know that they are on the right website. This is also the most important information that your guests need to remember, so it doesn't hurt to make it unavoidable! Adding a countdown until your wedding day can also be a fun way to get people excited.
About You:
I can assume that most of the people attending your wedding know some background information on the bride and groom, but it can still be fun for everyone to be able to refresh their memory with your story. Add a tab to your wedding website that is all about you! Start with information about you and your partner and then tell the history of how you met! Everyone always wants to know about the proposal so make sure you add that in there as well. Make this part of your website special and add anything that you think your guests should know about you guys as a couple! It can be entertaining to add fun facts, teasing pet peeves, and your goals as a couple to help your guests to get to know you even better. This can also be a great opportunity to add pictures of the bride and groom growing up, first photos together, engagement pictures, and more!
Travel:
Getting all of your guests to the right place at the right time doesn’t have to be so confusing anymore! On your wedding website, you can outline specific directions and maps for how to get to your wedding venue. If you have guests that are traveling from far, list all information for airports, hotels, and transportation here as well. This information is crucial and having it all in one place is going to make your guests feel so much more relaxed. If you are inclined to do so, add some information on places to eat and stuff to do in the area for any downtime your guests might have!
RSVP:
Depending on if you want to send out traditional wedding invitations, you have some options for how you want to keep track of your RSVPs. If you are sending out invites, or even just sending them to your less techy relatives, you can still have them RSVP by card. What you can do on your website is keep track of your RSVPs and other information that your guests are returning to you. Create a chart with all of your guests and fill it in as they submit their RSVPs. What can be helpful about this is that guests can check this list to make sure all the information is correct. For example, if they chose the chicken option, but you accidentally marked them down for fish, they can let you know that this mistake was made. Another option if you aren’t interested in having your guests reply by mail, is to create a form that your guests will fill out and submit it to you on the website with information such as food and plus ones. Use this section of your wedding website to track your information on your attendees.
Wedding Schedule:
To make sure that your guests arrive on time, and are prepared for the day ahead, let them know what your wedding day is going to look like! Post the schedule of your wedding day events so everyone has an idea of the timeline of the wedding. For example, 4:30 Ceremony, 5:00pm Cocktail Hour, 6:00pm Reception, and 10:00pm Send Off. Letting your guests know this timeline is going to make your day run smoother!
Registry/Gifts:
One of the main questions your guests are going to try to ask you is what you want as a wedding present. Depending on what you and your partner are thinking, you can clearly spell this out on your website. Leave a link for a registry, or write a kind message saying that you would appreciate funds for the honeymoon. This is going to alleviate a lot of confusion and will help you avoid strange gifts that you have no use for!
What to Wear:
You would think that people would know by now what is appropriate to wear to a wedding. You would be surprised. In order to avoid an aunt showing up wearing white or an under-dressed relative, create a do’s and don'ts list for what you would prefer people to wear. If your wedding is themed, or you have a specific vision for style, this is your place to spell this out and include pictures. I would suggest adding information on if the wedding will be indoors/outside as this is going to be a common question. Another tip is to put a trusted member of the wedding party’s contact information at the bottom of this list and ask people to contact them if they have questions! Your style-savvy friend is most likely going to be happy to assist your fashion-challenged guests with ideas on what would look best.
The Wedding Party:
Just like you added an “our story” page to your website, it can be fun to also do this for your wedding party! Guests will be able to read up on your closest family members and friends and get to know them. Even adding a short bio and synopsis on how you met is a great way to introduce these important people.
FAQ:
Your FAQ section is going to be where you put anything else you want your guests to know! Any information on venue rules, deadlines, plus ones, children, phones, and anything else you can think of can be added here. One good tip is to leave contact information at the bottom of this. On top of all your wedding planning, the last thing that you want is guests texting you questions the day before your wedding. Assign a few members of your family or wedding party to this task! Anyone who has been involved in your planning will most likely be able to answer guests' questions and take some stress off your back!
Creating a website will not only keep your guests in the know, but also help keep you organized. Having all this information in one place is going to save you a lot of time and you can always add updates on your website for things like weather and last-minute changes. One last bonus is that this website is always going to exist for you to reminisce on. I would encourage you to also add your wedding photos from the day here so your guests can see them! The options are endless for you to create a wedding website that will be an information hub for your day!