Bonus: DOWNLOADABLE WHAT TO INCLUDE ON YOUR WEDDING WEBSITE CHEAT SHEET
It’s been awhile since we addressed the question of what information to include on your wedding website. As you might imagine, weddings have changed in the past few years. Some celebrations now have their own hashtags, Instagram feeds, or even live streaming addresses.
Since every couple (and every wedding) is different, creating an end-all, be-all list of what to put on a wedding website isn’t our goal. Instead, we want to set you up for success and empower you to create a wedding website that meets all of your goals and helps make your wedding planning even more fun!
Before you panic, remember that your website is dynamic! Think about what details your guests will need when and add this info bit by bit. The information listed online when you send your save the dates may be drastically different than. when you send your invitations or wedding reminder emails.
What to include on a wedding website in 2015:
Salutations! Hello! Greetings!:
You’re pumped! It’s your wedding! You’re so excited and you just can’t hide it. And your guests should be, too. After all, it’s one of the biggest days of your life. You want everyone there, in one place, celebrating. Start out with excitement!
What, where and when:
First thing’s first: date(s) and location(s). You’ve hemmed and hawed over these two things for months, maybe even years! And for good reason. They’re important. Put these details —where is it and when is it — front and center and avoid getting multiple emails from your adorable, but confused, Aunt Gertie.
The Events & Schedule:
Are we running a marathon or going out with a bang? Will the events be spread over several days or will it be a simple classic ceremony and reception? Give your guests plenty of time to arrange for time off of work and make travel arrangements to they can attend all of your events. (If you’re hosting multiple events and not all of your guests are invited to all of the events – i.e., rehearsal dinner or GIRLS NIGHT – be sure your wedding website has a feature to only show the correct events to each guest and prevent any hurt feelings. HINT: Glo offers this feature…)
Travel Information to the Venue(s):
Sure, everyone has GPS on their smart phones now. But having an interactive map helps guests with their planning. Some folks (ahem, Nana and Great Aunt Linda) might prefer precise printable paper directions. They need to know where to park, how to reach the various venues, and, if you’re in a city, public transportation instructions are always helpful!
Travel Info for Out of Town Guests:
Whether your guests are traveling across town, across state, or coming from another country, travel info is key! Think about what you’d need to know in order to plan a trip and provide this for your guests so that they don’t need to do the legwork: Accommodation options (and any negotiated discounts); Convenient airports or train stations; Driving directions or public transportation options from the airport to your wedding location; A special wedding code for discounted Uber or Lyft rides, especially if it’s a big wedding or in an urban location.
ALSO! If you have guests coming from overseas, it is helpful to provide information about regional airlines or car rental companies, as these may differ from country to country.
Downloadable ‘Travel Pack’:
This one is fun. It’s a handy-dandy document that guests can download and bring with them. It’s packed full of all the details they will need when they’re not sitting in front of a computer (driving directions, hotel and venue addresses, your phone number, etc.) Guests can choose to print this out, or, in the age of mobile, simply download it to their phones or tablet. You can also include the hard copy of this in their “welcome bags.”
Online RSVPs:
Guests love the convenience of being able to submit all of their RSVP information online, and you have much better things to do with your time than collecting and recording these things by hand! What is this? The 90s?
Contact Information:
Let your guests know how to reach you if they have questions or just want to send their love and congratulations! (Just be sure this is cloaked via a contact form or kept private on a password protected page!) Options include: Phone number, Face time details, Google voice, Skype, Email address, Twitter handle, WhatsApp or whatever you check most often. Include your physical address (if you think your guests will want to send boxed gifts)
Dress code: Everyone always wonders what to wear to a wedding. Keep your guests from stressing by clarifying whether they need to dust off that suit, tux, cocktail dress, or find their best “beach chic” ensemble. Everyone will thank you when it comes time to pack!
FAQ’s:
This is a spot for “all the rest.” Common questions that guests might have include: Whether babysitting services are available and if children are invited (since some guests don’t know the ins and outs of envelope etiquette. Will you will provide transportation to/from the celebration? What is the significance of a particular event or element of your wedding if they are culturally related. Think about all the questions you ask when you go to other people’s weddings and try to include the answers to make life easier for your guests!
Optional items to include on your wedding website:
Photos:
Some prefer to go simple, others like to splash out with photos. You can get creative here by sharing some baby photos or maybe photos of important moments you and your partner have had together. Photos are a great way of bringing some personality to your site, but try not to go overboard – nobody likes a shrine!
Wedding Hashtag or Photo sharing app:
To collect all of the photos and comments leading up to and during the big day(s) – plus this allows invited guests who can’t attend to follow along from afar.
Information about you:
It can be fun (and helpful) to provide a bit of information about how you met and who you are as people, especially for far-flung family members and those who haven’t been following your every move on Instagram. We’re talking fun facts and interesting tidbits here, not a full resume!
The lowdown on your family, attendants or other wedding VIPs:
Since these people will likely be front and center during your celebration (and presumably are important people in your lives) it’s great to provide a bit of a who’s who for guests who may not know your friends and family as well as you do.
Registry details:
Hooray, presents! While including this on your actual invitations is usually poo-pooed by the etiquette queens, it’s more widely accepted to include information about and links to your registry on your website. You’re all smart brides and grooms – you know how to do this tastefully.
Above all, keep in mind that your website will help set the tone for your highly personalized and fun wedding celebration – so don’t be afraid to add some personality and pizazz along with the vital information. Carefully chosen photos, fun widgets, and the right tone of voice are real crowd pleasers.
Have we missed anything? Let us know what else you’re adding in a comment below!
As promised, here is the downloadable cheat sheet for what to include on your wedding website. For more great tips for your site, see our complete wedding website guide!
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