How to Choose a Wedding Website Template

First things first - congratulations! You’re engaged! The date’s set and venue is booked, it’s time to start thinking about creating your perfect wedding website. This next stage of wedding planning may feel like a mountain to climb but relax, you don’t need to be super techy to make a wedding website, nor will it make a big dent in your wedding budget. There’s plenty of wedding website builder companies who specialise in these types of platforms, all offering a great range of templates to choose from, guaranteeing you’ll find the perfect one to reflect your special day.

The Important Wedding Website Information

At Say I do we would always advise that you should create your wedding website before you send out your invites. Not only can you take advantage of our digital wedding invitations and RSVP manager, you can also include your custom URL on the invites making it super easy for your guests to access all the important information. Your website can be seen as a real central hub for your big day which your guests can visit at their leisure and find out all the extra details such as your gift registry list and the dress code. It goes without saying though, don’t forget to reiterate the really key information here such as the date, venue and timings.

Your Wedding Budget

Most wedding website templates will have a free and a paid offering (some are completely free, but if you aren’t paying for the product then you are probably the product) and it’s quite clear what the differences are between each of the packages. How much you spend will reflect how customisable and feature-full your website and communication with your wedding guests could be. Think about your special day and what you want out of your wedding website before shopping around for a template that suits your wedding style and of course your budget. You can always start for free with Say I do, have a browse of the templates and the tools before considering whether you might want to upgrade to unlock even more exciting wedding website features!

Wedding Website Style

OK, so we already know that there’s a great range of website templates out there that can accommodate your requirements but what about making it look professional whilst also reflecting your wedding style? You really won’t be disappointed with the range of stylish looking templates you can choose, including useful features such as drag and drop boxes which will enable you to fit your details in wherever you want, resulting in a bespoke site that’s personal to you.

Have a think about the layout of your website, and what imagery you want to include, you can customise most templates and even change the typography to suit your style. It might be useful to create a bit of a mood board before choosing your wedding website template, highlighting certain colours or themes you like then selecting a template that’s similar to keep everything aligned. Whether it’s pretty fine art or modern monochrome, you’ll be sure to find one to suit!

Wedding Website Features

Whether you’re going for big and bold or small and chic, we can guarantee there’s a wedding website template for you. Depending on your day the range of features on offer is endless. RSVP forms are one of the most useful additions and Say I do offer one of the smartest RSVP features out there. Guests can easily RSVP via your wedding website using their smartphone or computer. For people who don't have one, you can simply do it for them – simple! RSVP forms can save so much time and stress, they really are an essential feature for both you and your guests.

Create a ‘Couples page’ if you want to give your guests a bit of background on both you and your husband / wife-to-be. Some guests might not know both of you that well so this is your opportunity to share a bit about each other. You might like to let your guests know how you met and how the proposal went (including photos to paint the picture is a cute addition too). You could also introduce some of the key members of the wedding party in this section too, the bridal party and groomsmen for example. This is a nice touch if some guests are flying solo so they will recognise some familiar faces on the day.

A photo gallery is another feature to consider and gives you the opportunity to share engagement photos and upload your wedding album after the big day too. There’s nothing stopping you sharing your loved one’s snaps from the day too, vetted by you first of course!

An FAQ page is really important if you’re looking to field all the same questions that will come your way in the build up to the wedding. Creating this section will save a lot of unnecessary back and forth with guests and free up some headspace for other wedding duties. There’s nothing stopping you sharing the schedule with your guests if you like too, managing expectations will again prevent unnecessary phone calls and text messages with the same queries. Consider including information on accommodation, transport, dress codes, other wedding events and timings. This way everyone will feel informed and prepared ahead of the big day.

It’s a fact that not all your guests will be able to make it to the wedding, sadly. This can be overcome if you choose to live stream your event; perfect for those friends and family that live in far-flung countries and still want to feel part of it. Some templates will offer this feature and it’s more simple than it sounds! Guest Management and CMS to keep guests updated are also useful features especially if you’re hosting multiple events in the lead up to the wedding such as a bridal shower or a rehearsal dinner.

However, if all of this is all hurting your brain and you’re wanting to keep things simple, don’t discount the idea of having a straightforward one-pager. There’s templates out there offering a homepage only and there’s nothing better than keeping things modest. If you can get all your wedding information on one page, go for it!

Destination Wedding

Wedding websites are particularly handy if you're having a destination wedding. You can create a space where your guests can find out all about the area you’re getting married in. Including accommodation options to suit all budgets is helpful too, as well as what to see and do in the local area – remember your guests will likely be making this into a holiday so they will want to make the most of the surrounding area. Directions to the wedding venue are always really useful, and maps that you can click straight onto, even better! What did we do before Google maps?!

Having a photo gallery on your wedding website is also a really nice touch for a destination wedding especially if you’ve been to the area before. Share your snaps with your guests to show how beautiful the area is and why you’ve chosen that place for your special day.

Wedding Website Template Round Up

See this stage of the wedding planning as therapeutic – you’re getting all the information out of your head (or spreadsheet) and onto a wedding website. It’s the go-to place for your guests to visit at their leisure and find out all the necessities for your wedding day. Regardless of the size of your wedding, guests still need to know the basics so creating a site will save you answering many of the same questions, leaving you with more headspace for other wedding-related tasks.

It doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive, ensure you have a good domain, a customisable template and you’re good to go!