There are so many benefits of having a wedding website. Not only does it save you time and energy, but it helps your guests prepare for your wedding day, too! But it’s not enough to just choose a free wedding website builder. You have to actually put stuff on it to make it useful to everyone. The good thing is you can add information throughout the wedding planning process. As you solidify details, update your website, and keep all of your friends and family in the loop. When you are ready to bring your website to life, here are 10 things to include.
1. The Story of Us
Your wedding website isn’t just a place for logistical information. You can also make it beautiful to look at and fun to read. One of the easiest ways to do this is to include the story of how you and your fiancé met. You can share who said “I love you” first, how the proposal went down, and any other interesting and cute information about your relationship. This is especially nice for guests who only know you or your fiancé but don’t know you as a couple. Include pictures and feel free to get creative. In a way, it connects your guests to your love story that they will soon get to be a part of at the wedding.
2. Wedding Date and Location
While it is one of the most basic elements to include, because it is so basic, it can get overlooked. So, make sure to include your wedding date and location! If you don’t have a venue chosen yet, that’s ok! If, for example, you know you are getting married in Lake Tahoe, let your guests know that so they can start planning. Then, once you have more detailed information, you can update the website.
3. RSVP Option
Tracking your guests is so much easier when they RSVP online. And with the right wedding website builder, you can include this option! One of the main reasons it’s important to have your wedding website up and running before you send out your Save The Date cards is so guests who know they cannot make it to the wedding can still send a gift. However, you only want serious guests who know are actually going to attend to RSVP. This way you get an accurate guest count. Because of this, your wedding website URL will be on the final wedding invitations sent three months before your wedding. At that time, guests will be able to RSVP, select their meal choice, and purchase something from your gift registry if they desire (more on this later!).
4. Timeline of Events
Including a timeline of events helps guests know what to expect throughout your entire wedding weekend and plan accordingly. This is especially important for out-of-town guests who also need to arrange travel. If you are having a welcome party the day before your wedding, put it on the website! That way, out-of-town guests can plan to come in a day early and start the wedding celebrations with everyone else. Additionally, be sure to note the departure times of any shuttles so guests don’t miss their ride to your wedding!
Just be sure the timeline of events only includes events everyone is invited to attend. If you have VIP events with a smaller guest list, such as your rehearsal dinner or a farewell brunch the next day, don’t put it on your website. You don’t want anyone to feel left out!
5. Travel & Transportation Information
Including travel and transportation information on your wedding website is important for guests coming from out of town who might not know the area. For example, for a Lake Tahoe wedding, share about the closest airport (Reno Airport) and the second closest (Sacramento Airport), as well as rental car services available for guests to use. Of course, people can look this information up on their own, but it makes for a better guest experience when you provide it for them.
6. Local Accommodations
Similar to travel information, it is nice to include some of the best local accommodations for guests to choose from. This is especially true for a Lake Tahoe wedding. Because Tahoe is a tourist destination, there are so many hotels, motels, and vacation rentals available through Airbnb and VRBO. Provide a few of the top choices–ones that are close to your wedding venue, budget-friendly, etc.–to save your out-of-town guests the stress of sifting through all of the options. Additionally, if you purchased a room block at a local hotel be sure to let guests know how to take advantage of this.
7. Things to Do
There are so many amazing things to do and see in the Greater Lake Tahoe and Sierra Foothills region. Because guests may have some downtime to explore, be sure to share your favorite restaurants, hikes, rafting and boating rentals, and the best things to do in the surrounding area.
8. Wedding Chat Apps or Photo Sharing Apps
If you are going to use a chat app or photo-sharing app for guests to connect during your wedding weekend, you can include that information on the “Things to do” page, too. This way, your guests can plan outings with each other, which is a great way for new friends and family to bond before and during the wedding.
9. Guest Expectations
When you’re going out to brunch with your friends, do you ask a least a couple of them what they are wearing so you can match their vibe? Tell me I’m not the only one who does this! Nobody wants to feel like they stand out in a crowd because they didn’t get the dress code memo. This is why it is important to include guest expectations on your wedding website. Let people know the event style, the dress code, the weather conditions, whether it is an indoor or outdoor venue so they can choose appropriate shoes to wear, and more. Trust me, they will appreciate it!
You can also use this space to set additional expectations. Your wedding website is a great place to share if your wedding is a child-free event, if you’re having an unplugged ceremony, and if you’re only serving appetizers and desserts and not a full dinner. (This way your guests know to come with a 3/4 full stomach.)
10. Wedding Registry
Last but not least, if you have an online wedding registry, include it on your wedding website. This makes it easy for guests to find and choose items you already know you want and love. Whether you have a plethora of gifts picked out or want to collect funds to go on the honeymoon or mini-moon of your dreams, give your guests an opportunity to contribute on your wedding website.
Perfect Your Wedding Website with Epic Thyme
At Epic Thyme, we know the importance of having a realy beautiful and detailed wedding website. That is why we include website editing in our full-service event planning package. Once you put it together, we will read it over and make sure it sounds just right and includes everything to make your life a little easier and your guests’ experience a little better leading up to your wedding day. You can learn more about what’s included in our wedding planning services here!