Making Your Zola Wedding Registry Private

Zola is a wedding registry service that offers flexibility, allowing couples to combine gifts, experiences, and cash funds all in one registry. Couples can register for gifts from over 500 coveted brands, experiences such as cooking classes or wine clubs, and honeymoon and cash fund options. Couples can also add gifts from any store with the Add to Zola button. With Zola, couples can control the visibility of their wedding registry and website, choosing to make them public or private. While making the website private restricts access to anyone, password protection allows couples to share the website with select guests while keeping it hidden from others.

Keeping your Zola wedding website private

Part 1: How to Make Your Website Private

If you make your Zola wedding website completely private, no one will be able to access it. However, if you use a password to protect the site, you can control who sees it.

To make your Zola wedding website private, log onto the Manage Website page. At the top of the screen, you will see a button that says "Make Website Visible". Click on it, and it will make your site visible to the public. To keep it private, ensure that it is set to "Hide Website", so that it will be set to private and no one can visit the wedding page.

Controlling Search Visibility

You can also control if your free wedding website shows up in a Google search or even a Zola search from your account settings under Privacy. Then you can change your private wedding website settings by selecting your desired result.

Please note that it takes about 30 days for these changes to take effect. It takes time for your site to be found by search engines or removed from search results.

Part 2: Password Protecting Your Website

Protecting your wedding website with a password is another way to keep your site private. That means that the wedding details that you put on there will only be available to those who enter the password. You can include the password on your save-the-date, wedding invitation, gift registry, or anywhere you can send your guests the link to your website.

To password-protect your Zola wedding website, follow these steps:

• Under "Account" on the top right-hand side of Zola.com, click on "Privacy Settings".
• Scroll down to "Website Password".
• Click "Yes" under "Do you want your wedding website password-protected?".
• Enter your password and hit save.
• Send your guests a personal note explaining where they can find the password.

If you change your mind later, you can always go back to your privacy settings to remove the password protection.

Part 3: Reasons for Keeping Your Website Private

There are several reasons why you might want to keep your Zola wedding website private:

• You are still working on your website: If you are still in the process of adding all the pertinent information for your big day, making your website private will ensure that no one has access to it until you are ready.
• You want to keep some people away: Making your website private or password-protected means that you can control who sees your personal details. This can be especially useful if you want to avoid wedding crashers or keep certain individuals from accessing your wedding ceremony information.
• Keep your personal life under wraps: If you or your partner prefer to keep your personal life private, making your wedding website private will help protect your information from being widely available online.
• Limiting the number of guests: If you are operating under capacity restrictions or have a limited guest list, keeping your wedding website private can prevent uninvited guests from accessing your wedding day information.

Part 4: The Downside to Making Your Website Private

One potential downside to consider when making your Zola wedding website private is the added inconvenience for your guests. Some guests may lose or forget the password, or have difficulty understanding how to use it. You may end up fielding phone calls, texts, or emails from guests asking for password reminders or assistance. Therefore, it is important to consider your guest list and whether a private website will cause more hassle than convenience.

Password-protecting your Zola wedding website

Step 1: Log into your Zola account

Go to the Zola website and log into your account using your credentials. Once you are logged in, look for the "Account" option at the top right-hand side of the screen. Click on it to access your account settings.

Step 2: Navigate to Privacy Settings

Under the "Account" section, scroll down until you find the "Privacy Settings" option. This is where you will be able to adjust the privacy settings for your wedding website. Click on "Privacy Settings" to continue.

Step 3: Enable password protection

In the Privacy Settings section, look for the "Website Password" option. Under this setting, you will see a question asking if you want your wedding website to be password protected. Click on the "Yes" option to enable password protection.

Step 4: Create your password

After enabling password protection, you will be prompted to create a password for your wedding website. Choose a password that is accessible to your guests but not too easy to guess. You can use a combination of your wedding date and your last name, or you can create a unique password that you share with your guests.

Step 5: Save your changes

Once you have entered your desired password, be sure to click the "Save" button to store your changes. Your Zola wedding website is now password-protected, and only individuals with the password will be able to access it.

Step 6: Inform your guests

Finally, send your guests a personal note or message informing them of the password. You can include this password in your save-the-date notices, wedding invitations, gift registry, or any other communication you have with your guests.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your Zola wedding website is private and secure. This will give you peace of mind and allow you to share your wedding details with only your intended guests. Remember that it may take some time for the changes to take effect, so plan accordingly.

Reasons for keeping your Zola wedding website private

There are several reasons why you may want to keep your Zola wedding website private. Firstly, privacy is a concern, especially if your website can be easily found online through a search engine. Wedding crashing is still a possibility, even during a pandemic, and you may not want uninvited guests showing up on your special day. By keeping your website private, you can protect your personal information and wedding details from unwanted guests.

Another reason to keep your website private is if you are still working on it and want to include all the relevant information for your big day. By hiding your website under the privacy settings or password-protecting it, you can ensure that only you and your partner have access until you are ready to make it public. This will also help to slow down inquiries from guests about the wedding details.

Additionally, you may want to keep your Zola wedding website private to maintain your personal life under wraps. While it is common to share some information on social media, you may not want all the details of your wedding and personal life easily accessible on the internet. This is especially important if you or your partner work in a field that requires a certain level of privacy and discretion.

Furthermore, with the ongoing pandemic and new variants of COVID-19, there may be restrictions on the number of guests you can invite to your wedding. By keeping your Zola wedding website private or password-protected, you can prevent uninvited guests from accessing your wedding details and ensure that only those on your guest list have the information they need. Password-protecting your website can be a great way to share your registry with those not invited to the wedding while still keeping the website portion private. Additionally, Zola offers free customizable wedding websites that allow you to manage your guest list, track RSVPs, and more, all in one place.

The downside to making your Zola wedding website private

While there are many reasons to keep your Zola wedding website private, there are also some downsides to consider. One of the main disadvantages is the potential for added stress in the lead-up to your wedding. If you make your website private and require guests to use a password, you may find yourself fielding phone calls, texts, and emails from guests who have lost or forgotten the password, or who are unsure of how to use it. This can be time-consuming and frustrating, especially if you are already dealing with the numerous other tasks and decisions involved in wedding planning.

Another downside to making your Zola wedding website private is that it may limit the accessibility of your wedding information for guests. Some guests may not be comfortable using a password-protected website or may not have easy access to the password if they lose it. This could make it more difficult for them to access important details about your wedding, such as venue information, hotel options, and transportation arrangements. It is important to consider the technical proficiency of your guests and whether they would find a password-protected website cumbersome or confusing.

Additionally, making your Zola wedding website private may reduce the effectiveness of the website as a central information hub for your guests. One of the main benefits of a wedding website is providing guests with a one-stop shop for all the details they need to know about your wedding. By making the website private, you may hinder the flow of information and make it more difficult for guests to stay up-to-date with the latest developments or changes to your wedding plans. This could result in increased inquiries and questions for you and your partner, adding to the pre-wedding chaos.

Furthermore, keeping your Zola wedding website private may impact your ability to share your wedding plans and progress with a wider audience. While privacy is important, there may be certain aspects of your wedding that you are happy to share with extended family, friends, or colleagues who are not on the guest list. By making your website private, you limit the visibility of your wedding details to only those who have the password, potentially excluding others who would enjoy following your wedding journey.

Lastly, it is important to consider the time it takes for privacy settings to take effect. According to Zola, it can take up to 30 days for your private wedding website to become findable by searching your names on Google. Similarly, it can take up to 30 days for Google to remove your private wedding website from search results even after adjusting your privacy settings. This delay could be a disadvantage if you are working with tight timelines or if you have already shared your wedding website with guests before deciding to make it private.

Controlling search visibility

Control Search Visibility in Settings

In your Zola account settings, you can control whether your wedding website shows up in a Google search or even a Zola search. Under the "Privacy" section, you can adjust your settings to make your wedding website private. This will prevent it from appearing in search results. However, keep in mind that it may take up to 30 days for the changes to take effect and for your site to be removed from search engines, even after adjusting your privacy settings.

Password Protection

Another effective way to keep your Zola wedding registry private is to password protect it. By doing so, only those with the password will be able to access the details of your wedding. You can include this password on your save-the-date, wedding invitation, or gift registry. When choosing a password, it's best to use something accessible to your guests but not too easy to guess. You can even use your wedding date and last name as a password.

Send Personal Notes with the Password

Once you've set up password protection, send your guests a personal note explaining where they can find the password. This can be done through email, text, or even a physical note included with your invitations. This ensures that only your intended guests can access your wedding registry information.

Test the Link Yourself

Before sharing the registry link with others, it's always a good idea to test the link yourself. This ensures that the link is working properly and directs people to the correct page. By testing it beforehand, you can avoid any potential issues or confusion for your guests.

Keep Your Website Private

If you're concerned about privacy, you can choose to keep your entire wedding website private. This means that no one will be able to access it unless you share the password with them. This option is particularly useful if you want to restrict access to certain information, such as wedding details or personal messages to your guests.

Use a Separate Registry Link

If you want to keep your wedding website private but still share your registry with others, you can use a separate registry link. By accessing your registry directly (not via the website editing portion), you can find a link that you can share with guests. This way, they can access your registry without having access to the full wedding website and its details.

Frequently asked questions