You may now shop, meet other people, and perhaps even find love all over the internet. So, if most people you know have an email account and appear to check their smartphones daily, creating your own wedding website seems logical.
If you choose to explain everything about your wedding to each of your guests in person by phone call or snail mail, you will be wasting a lot of your essential time. Some of the advantages of having a wedding website include:
- It is an excellent way to communicate with a large number of individuals in a short amount of time.
- Improve your guests’ engagement
- It helps you keep you on track
- Allows your guests to have a quick glimpse of your special day.
- Going digital means you reduce pollution.
And with so much to think about in the months leading to your big day, you wouldn’t want to encounter issues with your digital suite. Here are the do’s and don’ts of a wedding website so you can focus on the critical aspects of your special day.
Do invest in a well-designed website, but Don’t overcomplicate the domain.
Go with a simple yet elegant design on your website. Don’t overpopulate your web pages with countless bells and ribbons. A busy design may lead to a disorganized look. Also, go with a name that is brief, pleasant, and most importantly, memorable. Avoid using unnecessary punctuation marks or other special characters and acronyms.
Your guests will appreciate an interface that is easy to navigate. If possible, include a section where you can interact with people on your guest list. They could post inquiries, comments, or complaints then you reply on the same thread. This ensures all issues are resolved in due time and information reaches everyone.
Do include all relevant info, but Don’t overshare
The goal of your website is to provide all of your guests with all of the vital wedding details. So think of everything your visitors could ask and include that material to your website. Also, have things like a weekend itinerary, links to your registry, your couple’s narrative, and introductions to your wedding party.
Couples frequently forget that websites are open to the public, so don’t give out critical personal information like personal phone numbers or addresses (unless they’re essential on the wedding day). Divulge only appropriate information such as:
- Dates
- Venue locations
- Transportation and maps
- Hotel or alternative accommodation
- Contact information
You never know who may access your wedding website, so that might be an added advantage to password-protecting your site. You can share the login details with only people on your guest list. This ensures all malicious intent is kept at bay.
Do Include an online RSVP, but Don’t chase people.
Select a wedding website platform that allows guests to RSVP online. Your RSVPs will always be conveniently available in one location if you manage the guest list via your wedding website. Use a wedding website provider that can automatically monitor your RSVPs. This lets you follow up with your guests, so you don’t have to waste time hunting them down personally.
However, don’t rely solely on your website to collect RSVPs from your wedding guests. Even though it may be more accessible and nearly second nature for some of your guests to RSVP by computer, mail out the conventional wedding invitations to ensure that everyone gets an opportunity to RSVP. This guarantees that all of your wedding preparations run well and that all of your guests are acknowledged.
Do advise your guests on what to wear, but Don’t dictate what to wear.
Be straightforward about your wedding dress code and recommended attire. Your guests will need to know to arrive at your wedding wholly prepared. Inform them of the forecasted weather, if your location has minimal shade, or if the evening will be cool. For instance, If your reception is on a grassy patch or sandy beach where guests should avoid heels, suggest any acceptable footwear for the wedding weekend.
There’s a delicate line between giving advice on dress code and outright instructing your guests what they should wear. You want your visitors to be as comfortable as possible, so don’t set any strict dress codes for them. As a result, avoid phrases like “evening gowns exclusively.” Instead, use a simple phrase like “black tie affair” to inform your visitors about the day’s ambience without being overbearing.
The Bottom Line
Suppose you’ve just said yes and have your wedding date set, contact a web design firm that offers free customized wedding websites. One of the first things you’ll do as part of the planning process is to create your wedding website. Because your wedding website will be a valuable resource for your guests, use these wedding website suggestions to create an interesting and informative digital hub.