Creating A Wedding Website: Free And Easy Steps

Creating a wedding website is a great way to communicate important details with your wedding guests. While it's not required, it is recommended to have one central destination with all the information that is simple for your guests to find and revisit leading up to your wedding day. There are several free wedding website platforms available, such as WeddingWire, The Knot, Joy, and Zola, which offer customizable designs, easy-to-use features, and helpful tools for managing guest lists, RSVPs, and more. These platforms allow you to share your love story, engagement photos, event details, travel information, and other personalized touches to create a seamless experience for your guests.

Choose a website provider

There are many website providers to choose from, each with its own unique features and benefits. Here are some of the most popular options:

Joy is a favourite among couples, offering beautiful website designs and interactive features. You can invite guests, assign +1s, track RSVPs, and even ask guests custom questions. It also has a stellar guest list manager and the option to password-protect certain events.

Minted is a great option if you're looking for design variety. They offer hundreds of designs to choose from, and their websites are super easy to use. You can track RSVPs, create custom RSVP questions, and take advantage of their address book app, which helps collect guest information.

Zola is well-loved by over 2 million couples. It offers customizable template designs, an easy-to-use drag-and-drop website builder, and convenient registry integration. You can also password-protect your website and purchase a custom domain name.

The Knot provides free website templates in 100+ designs, most of which have coordinating wedding invitations, save-the-dates, place cards, and more. You can also buy a custom domain through them for $19.99 for one year or $39.98 for two years.

Wedding Wire offers beautiful, easy-to-use, and completely customizable designs. You can add your event details, share hotel information and special rates, and allow guests to RSVP directly on the website. They also offer a mobile app to help you plan on the go.

Each of these website providers offers something unique, so it's important to consider your specific needs and preferences when making your choice.

Select a design template

Selecting a design template is an important step in creating your free wedding website. This is where you can showcase your personality and style, while also providing essential information for your guests. Here are some tips to help you choose and customise the perfect design template:

Choose a Template that Fits Your Wedding Style

Browse through the hundreds of design templates offered by various free wedding website platforms. Select a template that aligns with the theme and aesthetic of your wedding. Whether you're going for a classic, modern, rustic, whimsical, glamorous, beachy, cultural, romantic, or any other style, there are templates available to match your vision.

Customise Your Colour Palette

Most design templates allow you to customise the colour scheme. You can choose colours that reflect your wedding theme or simply pick your favourite hues. If you're unsure, consider following the latest colour trends or opt for elegant neutrals.

Select the Perfect Font

The font you choose should be easy to read and complement the overall style of your website. Opt for a classic serif font or a sleek sans-serif option, depending on the impression you want to make. You can also mix and match fonts for titles, headings, and body text to create a unique look.

Add Personal Touches

Incorporate personal touches to make your website unique and intimate. This could include childhood photos, engagement photos, or other artwork. You can also add a section dedicated to your love story, with a timeline and gallery of photos. This will help your guests get to know you better and celebrate your special moment.

Provide Clear Information

While the design is important, don't forget that the primary purpose of your website is to convey information to your guests. Ensure your template includes clear sections for important details such as the wedding date, location, schedule, travel information, accommodation options, dress code, and RSVP instructions.

Customise Further with Code

If you're comfortable with coding, you can dive into the CSS of your chosen template to make more advanced customisations. This allows you to tweak the little details and create a truly unique website that reflects your personality.

Remember, your wedding website is a space for you to express yourself and share your excitement with your guests. Select a design template that speaks to you and have fun customising it to make it your own!

Add event details

Adding event details to your wedding website is crucial to ensuring your guests have all the information they need to plan and prepare for your big day. Here are some detailed instructions and suggestions for what to include under the "Add event details" section of your free wedding website:

Location, Location, Location:

Provide clear and detailed information about the venue location. This is especially important if your venue is off the beaten track or if you have guests travelling from overseas. Include a virtual pin or Google Maps link to the exact location of your venue, along with written directions if the venue is in a remote area. If you're planning a destination wedding, be sure to include recommendations for accommodation, local restaurants, and things to do in the area.

Schedule of Events:

Outline a rough schedule or timeline of the day's events, including the timing of the ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, speeches, first dance, cake cutting, and any other key moments. This helps guests know what to expect and where to be at specific times. If you have multiple events over a wedding weekend, such as a rehearsal dinner or a brunch the day after, be sure to include those details as well.

Transportation and Parking:

Provide information about transportation options for guests travelling to and from the ceremony and reception locations. If you've organised a shuttle or bus service, include details about the meeting point and departure times. Also, mention any parking spots available at the venue, along with potential costs, to ensure guests don't obstruct access to the ceremony or reception.

Dress Code:

Let guests know the expected attire for the wedding. Whether it's black-tie, casual, or something in between, giving guests a clear idea of the dress code will help them feel prepared and avoid any fashion faux pas. If there are multiple dress codes for different events, be sure to specify.

Food and Beverage:

Give guests a preview of the wedding menu and food service. Mention if there will be canapes, a seated meal, or food trucks, so guests know what to expect. Also, include details about the alcohol situation—whether it's a cash bar, open bar, or BYOB.

RSVP and Guest Information:

Include an RSVP section on your website, where guests can easily confirm their attendance and provide additional information. This is also where you can ask about plus-ones and dietary requirements. If your wedding is adults-only, be sure to mention this clearly and politely. You can also recommend local babysitters as a helpful addition.

Remember, the key to a successful "Add event details" section is to provide clear, concise, and practical information that will help your guests plan and ensure they have a wonderful experience at your wedding.

Include photos and other media

Photos and other media are a great way to personalise your wedding website and make it a true reflection of you and your partner. Here are some tips on how to include photos and other media on your free wedding website:

Choose Meaningful Photos

Select photos that showcase your relationship and personalities. If you have engagement photos, this is a great opportunity to feature them. You can also include photos of your wedding party and family members. Introducing your guests to your wedding party ahead of time can be a fun way to help them feel more connected to your special day.

Tell Your Love Story

Use your website to tell the story of how you and your partner met, your relationship timeline, and the proposal. This is a great way to make your website more personal, especially for guests who may not know you or your partner well. You can also include other anecdotes and fun facts about your relationship.

Create a Custom Backdrop

Use your photos to create a custom backdrop for your website. This will make your website unique and visually appealing. You can also add personal artwork or other creative elements to showcase your style.

Embed Videos

In addition to photos, consider including videos of you and your partner. This could be a video of your proposal, a slideshow of photos set to music, or a video of you both sharing your love story. Videos can add a dynamic element to your website and give your guests a glimpse into your relationship.

Match Your Stationery

Consider using photos or other design elements from your wedding stationery suite on your website. This will create a cohesive look and feel for your wedding. You can use the same colour palette, fonts, and design elements to tie everything together.

Remember, your wedding website is a space for you to express yourself and share your excitement with your guests. Have fun with it and let your personalities shine through!

Customise your URL

When creating a free wedding website, customising your URL is an important step. A custom URL can make it easier for people to find and remember your site. It can also boost brand awareness and visibility. Here are some tips to help you customise your URL:

Choosing the Domain

When setting up a custom URL, you can choose the domain that will become the base for your branded links. It's a good idea to feature your name or your company's name to boost brand awareness and visibility. There are many options besides '.com' when choosing a top-level domain (TLD). For example, an artist might use '.studio', or a financial consulting company could use '.finance'. Choosing a TLD that represents your niche or industry can help create a clear connection between your name and what you do.

Communicate Where Your Links Lead

Custom URLs receive up to 39% more click-throughs than generic short links. People feel more comfortable clicking on a link that features a brand name, as they trust it won't lead to spam or malicious content. You can further accentuate this trust by customising your short links to indicate where they lead. For example, you could use '.blog' to share blog posts or '.video' to share YouTube videos.

Grab Attention and Show Your Fun Side

With over 1,000 TLDs to choose from, you can find something that will help your brand stand out. Quirky options like '.pizza', '.fun', '.ninja', or even '.wedding' can showcase your brand's personality and make it more memorable.

Sharing Your Custom URL Online

When sharing custom URLs online, keep in mind the length limitations of different social media platforms. Twitter truncates links that go above 32 characters, while LinkedIn replaces URLs that exceed 26 characters with a Lnkd.in link. Use hyphens to separate multiple words in your URL, as Google's bots read hyphens as word separators.

Sharing Your Custom URL Offline

Custom URLs can also be used on printed materials like flyers, business cards, or posters. When creating a URL for offline use, make it as short and memorable as possible. Avoid using hyphens, as they can make the URL less memorable and more difficult to type. Instead, use uppercase letters for each word to make it easier to read.

Custom URLs for Media Appearances and Events

Custom URLs are great for reading aloud during presentations, podcasts, or networking events. Make sure these links are easy to pronounce and memorable.

Frequently asked questions