:: Wedding Websites: Why All Engaged Couples Need One ::
Wedding websites could seem like such a daunting and arduous task. Pair that with the questions of is a wedding website cool or cheesy? Will anyone read it? Is my fiancé going to actually write "their story"? This is one of those wedding projects that could easily be started and and just as easily be procrastinated...for a good amount of time. However in the thumb-scrolling, fast moving world we live, having an online presence is necessary to have an online presence both personally & professionally and your wedding is not the exception.
Since bullet points are one of my favorite things in life here are some important reasons why having a wedding website is a sparkling idea: (<-- see what I did there?)
- Wedding websites are a great spot to put your story of how you met and what you like to do as a couple that some of the guests may not know (I.e. your parents friends)
- They are a fun way to pay homage to your bridal party, tell a story about why they are so important to you and what they did to deserve to stand next to you on your biggest day.
- They could possibly save you a little money by having details that would not fit on an invitation i.e. hotel information, transportation times & things to do locally.
- If there are any changes that need to be made quickly, or after the invitation has been sent, updating the website is the quickest & easiest way to alert the 150++ people attending your wedding.
- They are SUCH a perfect place to put those GORGEOUS engagement photos to use!
- And finally, they are a great place to put the great photos that are gathering dust on facebook & instagram for your guests to see.
The information that you should always have on your website is something about you as a couple, photos are super fab and appreciated since perhaps 65% of people may not actually read the whole story (its real life, and you may be guilty of it), the information, address and directions to the ceremony & reception as well as a phone number to each location (or your planner). Registry locations & links are helpful and a polite way to provide that information should any of your guests be interested, info on your bridal party (if interested), transportation and accommodations is imperative. Some couples opt to have the RSVP online as well, it's certainly an eco friendly, more in depth way to gather info from your guests, and it is all electronic which is a mega plus.
If you want your website to reflect your wedding in the most fabulous way possible you are going to have to find a platform that delivers a truly striking, photo rich, not cheesy product. Etsy is a great place to find different sites with pricing ranging from pretty inexpensive to all inclusive and you do not have to build it. Appy Couple is cute, and fun for mobile devices, however I believe there should be a mobile optimized version of the regular website.
My absolute favorite wedding website platform is by far Riley & Grey - the templates are absolutely beautiful. They come with a custom domain - without the the company name in the URL - which is huge. The website is mobile friendly & has a sublime RSVP tool that will make your life so.much.easier. when it is the 8 weeks until the wedding and you have a ton of other more fun things to do than spending the night over spreadsheets and meal choices. Plus, I love the parallax designs! Right now Riley & Grey is offering 40% off new websites that are signed up by Friday May 2nd with promo code VENDORLAUNCH . If you aren't ready to build the website now you could use the promo code and lock in pricing and work on it when you are ready.
Here are a few of the striking designs:
PS - I was not endorsed in anyway to write this advice piece. :)
Until next time!
AC ::