Making Your Own Wedding Website

A visual vintage wedding website design from Riley & Grey

Remember that time you got info from something other than Google? We don’t either. These days, we depend on the Internet to get details on almost everything. Enter the wedding website, the perfect way to keep your guests informed on everything from ceremony details to fun things to do in town when they aren’t at your wedding.

According to Marissa Gibbons, CEO and cofounder of Riley & Grey, there is a growing number of couples turning to this type of platform to keep their guests informed.

“Paper invitations are still important, but there’s only so much information you can put in a letter-pressed suite,” she explains. “Engagement photos are also becoming more and more popular as a way to kick things off, and a website is a great way to share them. And everyone is so used to accessing info on the go these days, having a mobile version of your site is key.”

Here’s how Gibbons advises you get the most our of your big day’s website.

What is the benefit to having a wedding website? 

It’s mainly to organize the chaos for you and your guests. It gives guests a one-stop shop for all the info they need. They can click through quickly to book travel, map out directions, etc. For the couple, it’s a really helpful exercise to sketch everything out and take people through the events of the weekend.

What are the content must-haves?

The couple should put the clear schedule of the wedding celebration, along with locations, dress codes, and any travel recommendations.

What are a few fun additions?

For travel recommendations, most people just focus on hotels and transportation, but putting together a great list of local activities, restaurants, shops, etc. can be a great “welcome” gift for your guests and help them get excited for the weekend.

Where is the right place to announce the website?

Most of our couples print their URL on their save-the-dates and use our digital invitation feature to email guests a link to their site. That way guests have it in two places just in case.

Are there any no-nos?

Believe it or not, you can actually go overboard on “helpful” information. Take hotels, for example. You don’t need to turn your wedding site into Expedia. Too many choices can overwhelm guests and has the added downside of spreading them out across a lot of hotels, which we think takes away from the fun, not to mention makes it harder to get good group rates. We recommend listing just three hotels: a budget option, a splurge option, and something in between.

How long should a couple keep their site up?

Our year package is our most popular. It allows couples to give their guests access to the site for six to eight months before the wedding and share photos, etc. after the wedding. It also lets those last-minute shoppers access your registry after the event since traditionally it’s considered acceptable for guests to take a full year to send a gift.

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