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There are so many things to think about when you’re planning a wedding.
Venues, dresses, suits, flowers, wedding favors, cakes, menus, bands, transportation, DJs, table settings, something old, new, borrowed, blue. It’s all so exciting, but time-consuming, too.
The good news is that one little, easy-to-create element can help make things a little easier: a wedding website.
In this article, we’ll look into how one of these can not only save you time and admin hassle but can turn into a digital keepsake to look back on for years to come.
A wedding website is a site dedicated to your big day. Ideally, it should feature all of the essential information for guests ahead of your wedding. Optionally, it can also be a place to share photos before and after the wedding, allowing your website to serve as a digital keepsake of the day you tied the knot.
While designing, writing, and sending out invitations are a memorable part of the pre-wedding experience, having a complementary wedding website can help with the following:
Save the dates and paper invitations can easily be lost or damaged by guests, especially if you send them out a year or more in advance.
A wedding website puts all the information guests need at their fingertips, from date/time information and venue details to recommendations for local places to stay. Having this information available online can help decrease the number of guest inquiries in those busy days leading up to the main event.
You can also get a personalized email address linked to your wedding website, so all correspondence, RSVPs, dietary requirements, and details of plus ones can be recorded in a dedicated, easy-to-search space.
When you’re sending out invites, you won’t always have finalized every detail of your wedding.
For example, you might not know the exact time you want your wedding party and family on location for pre-wedding photos. A wedding website lets you update information like this when you have it, making it instantly accessible to everyone in your wedding party and saving you time on contacting everyone individually.
Up there with the likes of invites printed on seeded paper and those printed with soy or vegetable inks, choosing a wedding website over traditional paper or card invites can help you lower your wedding’s impact on the environment.
A website allows you to make changes to wedding details quickly, without having to re-send amended invitations. You can also include last-minute guest list additions by simply sending them to your website to RSVP.
The look and feel of your wedding website should tie in to the theme of your big day itself.
For example, if your dream wedding is taking place in a countryside barn, with wildflower displays as centerpieces, you might choose a breezy, floral style for your website.
Something else to keep in mind at this stage is the needs of your guests. If your grandma has vision issues, be sure to choose colors with high contrast to help her navigate your website.
Once you’ve got your vision, use that information to set the tone for your website. Not sure how to tie your vision to your website? Try using a business name generator! It’s a great way to get assistance with bringing your ideas to life.
For the most impressive wedding website, you’ll want a platform that lets you:
These features add helpful functionality to your website for visitors of all technical skill levels.
GoDaddy Website Builder makes it easy to create a professional website. Choose a template, customize it your way, and get online fast — no tech skills required.
Start a free website
Once you have chosen your platform, it’s time to pick a personal website template to customize. Here are some things to think about before you get going:
Your wedding website can be a work in progress; you don’t need to know everything about your theme or color scheme before you set one up. You can use placeholder colors, words, and even images and videos until you have fine-tuned what you want.
When you’re ready, though, you can customize your site to reflect your real-world colors, fonts, and styles.
There are dozens of ways you can add videos, images, and even audio to your website. Options include:
No matter how organized and thorough you are, you will always have some forgetful or chaotic guests at your wedding. So having an always-accessible FAQ section to direct them to can save you some serious stress.
Think about adding the following FAQs to your site:
The right platform will make it easy to collect essential details like RSVPs, wedding menu choices, and dietary requirements.
You can also add any wedding menus you have to your website and include another call to action to give guests the chance to tell you exactly what they want to eat on the day.
It’s thought that over 60% of web traffic now comes from mobile phones, so you’ll need to create a website that can be viewed from these types of devices.
The technical term for this is mobile responsiveness, and it basically means that all copy, layout, and images on your site look as good and are as visible and readable on handheld devices as they are on a laptop or PC.
Additionally, ensuring that your website is accessible means that visitors with disabilities can also successfully use your website and join in on the wedding festivities.
As mentioned earlier, it’s possible to create a custom domain name for your wedding website.
Just head to the domain name search pages of a domain registrar (like GoDaddy) and enter the website name you have in mind.
Top tip: Did you know that you don’t need a .com web address ending? You could have a .info, .love, a location-based ending such as .vegas or .london, or even a .wedding domain extension!
Once you’re happy with your website, it’s time to share it with your guests. Include your web address on your save-the-dates and your wedding invites.
One word of advice: Avoid sharing your web address on social media before your wedding if you’re planning to use your website as an RSVP location. You’ll avoid any potential hurt feelings for those who weren’t included in the invite list.
We’ve alluded to the key features of a wedding website above, but now you might be wondering exactly how to plan your first website. Here’s an at-a-glance checklist to get you going.
Pages to create:
Showcase your love story on your website with an About Us section about how and where you met. Add photo galleries for your engagement shoot and celebratory party pics. You can even film a “welcome to our wedding” video. It’s your time to shine!
Is there a vital piece of information you need your guests to see one week? For example, the deadline for RSVPing? Create a pop-up to make sure it’s the first bit of information they see when they visit your site.
Have guests who can’t attend the wedding in person? Set up a real-time video feed from a live streaming platform so people can witness your vows from around the world.
A website can last a lifetime. Once your big day is done, you can keep it live for as long as you’d like to remind you of your big day.
After the event, you can also add your professional photos to your site and share them through social media posts.
Your website is also a wonderful place to say a permanent thank you to your guests. Just create a new section of copy or a new page to say how much you appreciated them sharing your day with you.
A website is something that can constantly be changed, switching up templates, words, images, and other content.
A year or so down the line, you could update yours to be an anniversary site or — if your family gets larger — an online family photo album and a new domain name.
Wedding websites can either replace or complement traditional invites and save the dates. It’s possible to set up a beautiful website yourself, without any technical help.
Website builder tools like GoDaddy’s Website Builder will provide you with a range of customizable templates, suggested copy that you can tweak, and many advanced options to make your site truly shine.
Building a wedding website with Website Builder can take just a few minutes to start with, and making it together can be part of the enjoyment of the wedding planning process, just like your cake-tasting session!
The post How to make a wedding website, from creation to guest experience appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.
Continue reading...
Venues, dresses, suits, flowers, wedding favors, cakes, menus, bands, transportation, DJs, table settings, something old, new, borrowed, blue. It’s all so exciting, but time-consuming, too.
The good news is that one little, easy-to-create element can help make things a little easier: a wedding website.
In this article, we’ll look into how one of these can not only save you time and admin hassle but can turn into a digital keepsake to look back on for years to come.
Why every couple needs a cutting-edge wedding website
A wedding website is a site dedicated to your big day. Ideally, it should feature all of the essential information for guests ahead of your wedding. Optionally, it can also be a place to share photos before and after the wedding, allowing your website to serve as a digital keepsake of the day you tied the knot.
While designing, writing, and sending out invitations are a memorable part of the pre-wedding experience, having a complementary wedding website can help with the following:
Centralized information hub for enhanced guest experience
Save the dates and paper invitations can easily be lost or damaged by guests, especially if you send them out a year or more in advance.
A wedding website puts all the information guests need at their fingertips, from date/time information and venue details to recommendations for local places to stay. Having this information available online can help decrease the number of guest inquiries in those busy days leading up to the main event.
You can also get a personalized email address linked to your wedding website, so all correspondence, RSVPs, dietary requirements, and details of plus ones can be recorded in a dedicated, easy-to-search space.
Real-time updates and notifications
When you’re sending out invites, you won’t always have finalized every detail of your wedding.
For example, you might not know the exact time you want your wedding party and family on location for pre-wedding photos. A wedding website lets you update information like this when you have it, making it instantly accessible to everyone in your wedding party and saving you time on contacting everyone individually.
Positive impact on sustainability and the environment
Up there with the likes of invites printed on seeded paper and those printed with soy or vegetable inks, choosing a wedding website over traditional paper or card invites can help you lower your wedding’s impact on the environment.
A website allows you to make changes to wedding details quickly, without having to re-send amended invitations. You can also include last-minute guest list additions by simply sending them to your website to RSVP.
How to build a next-level wedding website in 10 steps
1. Define your vision and guest needs
The look and feel of your wedding website should tie in to the theme of your big day itself.
For example, if your dream wedding is taking place in a countryside barn, with wildflower displays as centerpieces, you might choose a breezy, floral style for your website.
Something else to keep in mind at this stage is the needs of your guests. If your grandma has vision issues, be sure to choose colors with high contrast to help her navigate your website.
Once you’ve got your vision, use that information to set the tone for your website. Not sure how to tie your vision to your website? Try using a business name generator! It’s a great way to get assistance with bringing your ideas to life.
2. Choose a platform with advanced features
For the most impressive wedding website, you’ll want a platform that lets you:
- Choose a bespoke domain name for your site.
- Allow guests to RSVP at the click of a button.
- Effortlessly add photos, starting with your engagement shoot, as part of a stylish photo gallery.
- Easily upload videos before and after the event.
- Get help with copy suggestions, spelling, and grammar.
- Add files like a menu and direction maps.
These features add helpful functionality to your website for visitors of all technical skill levels.
Build your website today
GoDaddy Website Builder makes it easy to create a professional website. Choose a template, customize it your way, and get online fast — no tech skills required.
Start a free website
3. Select and customize an interactive template
Once you have chosen your platform, it’s time to pick a personal website template to customize. Here are some things to think about before you get going:
- Do you want a full page photo on your website’s first page (homepage) or a smaller image accompanied by a headline like “Welcome to our wedding?”
- Would you prefer to have a scrolling image gallery at the top of your homepage?
- How about having a welcome video at the top of your homepage?
4. Personalize design with your colors, fonts, and style
Your wedding website can be a work in progress; you don’t need to know everything about your theme or color scheme before you set one up. You can use placeholder colors, words, and even images and videos until you have fine-tuned what you want.
When you’re ready, though, you can customize your site to reflect your real-world colors, fonts, and styles.
5. Add multimedia elements
There are dozens of ways you can add videos, images, and even audio to your website. Options include:
- Galleries, for everything from your engagement shoot to your engagement party
- Slideshows
- Videos
- Vlogs
- Livestreams
- Playlists
6. Incorporate FAQs
No matter how organized and thorough you are, you will always have some forgetful or chaotic guests at your wedding. So having an always-accessible FAQ section to direct them to can save you some serious stress.
Think about adding the following FAQs to your site:
- Where is the ceremony?
- What time should guests be at the ceremony venue?
- Are children allowed?
- What is the dress code?
- Should you bring gifts?
- Where is there to stay nearby?
7. Integrated RSVP and meal selection
The right platform will make it easy to collect essential details like RSVPs, wedding menu choices, and dietary requirements.
You can also add any wedding menus you have to your website and include another call to action to give guests the chance to tell you exactly what they want to eat on the day.
8. Test for accessibility and mobile optimization (mobile preview)
It’s thought that over 60% of web traffic now comes from mobile phones, so you’ll need to create a website that can be viewed from these types of devices.
The technical term for this is mobile responsiveness, and it basically means that all copy, layout, and images on your site look as good and are as visible and readable on handheld devices as they are on a laptop or PC.
Additionally, ensuring that your website is accessible means that visitors with disabilities can also successfully use your website and join in on the wedding festivities.
9. Choose a custom domain name
As mentioned earlier, it’s possible to create a custom domain name for your wedding website.
Just head to the domain name search pages of a domain registrar (like GoDaddy) and enter the website name you have in mind.
Top tip: Did you know that you don’t need a .com web address ending? You could have a .info, .love, a location-based ending such as .vegas or .london, or even a .wedding domain extension!
Find your perfect domain name today
SEARCH10. Share the website link with your guests
Once you’re happy with your website, it’s time to share it with your guests. Include your web address on your save-the-dates and your wedding invites.
One word of advice: Avoid sharing your web address on social media before your wedding if you’re planning to use your website as an RSVP location. You’ll avoid any potential hurt feelings for those who weren’t included in the invite list.
Wedding website strategy and planning: must-have features
We’ve alluded to the key features of a wedding website above, but now you might be wondering exactly how to plan your first website. Here’s an at-a-glance checklist to get you going.
Core pages
Pages to create:
- Event details: If you’re having a destination wedding, this can be a whole timeline of pre- and post-wedding events.
- Travel and accommodation: List parking information, airport shuttle details, notable attractions in the area, and nearby restaurants and hotels.
- Dress code guidelines.
- Gift information: If you just want your guests’ presence rather than presents, make sure you explain this on your site. If you’re open to receiving gifts or have a registry, you can link to it in this section, too.
- Menus: Include your full menu offerings on your website so that your guests know what to expect.
Personal touches
Showcase your love story on your website with an About Us section about how and where you met. Add photo galleries for your engagement shoot and celebratory party pics. You can even film a “welcome to our wedding” video. It’s your time to shine!
Advanced features
Is there a vital piece of information you need your guests to see one week? For example, the deadline for RSVPing? Create a pop-up to make sure it’s the first bit of information they see when they visit your site.
Have guests who can’t attend the wedding in person? Set up a real-time video feed from a live streaming platform so people can witness your vows from around the world.
Post-wedding website transformation
A website can last a lifetime. Once your big day is done, you can keep it live for as long as you’d like to remind you of your big day.
Sharing photos, videos, and thank-yous
After the event, you can also add your professional photos to your site and share them through social media posts.
Your website is also a wonderful place to say a permanent thank you to your guests. Just create a new section of copy or a new page to say how much you appreciated them sharing your day with you.
Converting to an anniversary and milestone site
A website is something that can constantly be changed, switching up templates, words, images, and other content.
A year or so down the line, you could update yours to be an anniversary site or — if your family gets larger — an online family photo album and a new domain name.
The future of wedding websites
Wedding websites can either replace or complement traditional invites and save the dates. It’s possible to set up a beautiful website yourself, without any technical help.
Website builder tools like GoDaddy’s Website Builder will provide you with a range of customizable templates, suggested copy that you can tweak, and many advanced options to make your site truly shine.
Building a wedding website with Website Builder can take just a few minutes to start with, and making it together can be part of the enjoyment of the wedding planning process, just like your cake-tasting session!
The post How to make a wedding website, from creation to guest experience appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.
Continue reading...
