Designing a wedding website can seem like another daunting task on top of your already bustling wedding planning checklist. After all, you’ve got a love story to share, event details to disclose, and a guest list to manage. But where do you start?
Fret not. This article is here to guide you through the process of creating your own wedding website in a calm and approachable manner. We’ll break down the steps, clarify the technical bits, and provide you with the essential tips to make your wedding website as memorable as your big day.
Take a breath, get comfortable, and let’s journey through the process of building a beautiful wedding website together.
What is a Wedding Website?
Imagine you’re in the midst of planning your big day — the excitement, the joy, the jitters are all too real. Now, imagine having a digital space where you could paint this beautiful journey with words, pictures, and memories, all while making your guests’ lives a little easier. Welcome to the world of wedding websites!
These are personalized digital havens where you and your partner can share all the nitty-gritty details of your wedding day. From the story of how you both met, your proposal, to the big day’s timeline, venue details, dress code, accommodation options, and even your gift registry — it all finds a place here.
More than just a practical tool, a wedding website is a lovely way to involve your guests in your love story, keeping them looped into the celebrations, every step of the way. It’s modern, it’s personal, and it’s changing the way we look at wedding planning.
What Should a Wedding Website Include?
The Basic
1. A Homepage
The homepage is the main page of a website, and it serves as an entry point to the site’s content. For this reason, it’s one of the most important pages on your website.
Since it’s the first page your visitors will see and as it sets the tone for the rest of your site, it’s prudent to consider its design, your branding, and how it will be represented, including colors, fonts, logos, and taglines.
With a well-designed homepage, you can create a positive first impression and encourage visitors to explore your website further.
A homepage usually contains the following elements:
- A site navigation menu with links to important sections and pages that will allow users to easily navigate your website.
- Call-to-action buttons (CTAs) that will be clearly visible, with a clear call-to-action text that will encourage users to click on it and perform the desired action, like, for example, signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase.
- Many homepages contain a hero section to immediately catch the user’s attention and nudge them towards performing a certain action.
Note: Common Ninja has a wide selection of call-to-action buttons that you can easily add to your website.
2. An About Us Page
Another important page to have on your website is the “About Us” page. This page is crucial to establishing credibility and building trust.
The about us page often contains information about the organization, its mission, its history, and the people behind it, enabling users to establish a connection with the company and learn more about the organization and its values.
Note: Common Ninja has a great selection of widgets that can enhance your “About Us” page.
3. A Contacts Page
A “Contacts” page is another, very important page to have on your website. It provides visitors with a way to get in touch with the website’s owners or administrators. Typically, it will include contact information about the business (like a contact email address, phone number, and physical address), as well as a contact form that a visitor can fill out and send to contact the website’s owners.
This page helps to further build trust, improve user experience, and enable other businesses to contact the website owners regarding open new business opportunities.
Note: Common Ninja can improve how users contact you via a free and easily customizable Contact form.
4. A Header & Footer
Headers and footers have become an integral part of website design, and anyone building a website should add them to their website.
Having a header and a footer on your website will improve navigation, create a consistent look, support your branding, provide important information, and improve conversion with CTAs.
The header typically includes branding elements (like the colors, logo, company name, etc.), and navigational menus (to other pages, login options, etc).
The footer will also include branding elements, as well as links to other pages, but its design enables adding more links, CTAs, and other information, in an organized and aesthetically pleasing manner.
The Advanced
While the above elements are true for all websites, a Wedding website requires a few more elements.
Wedding Details Section
Craft a thorough segment filled to the brim with indispensable details concerning the wedding ceremony, reception, and related festivities. This should be the go-to source for crucial information such as the date, time, and venue addresses, along with the dress code and various accommodation options. It’s essentially the one-stop shop for any detail your guests will need to navigate your big day.
Interactive RSVP Page
Designate a user-friendly page or form on your site where guests can swiftly RSVP to your wedding invitation. This interactive segment should prompt guests for their names, the number of attendees they’re bringing, their meal preferences (if you’re offering a choice), and leave room for any additional remarks or queries they may have.
Note: Add an RSVP form to your website with Common Ninja’s RSVP Form widget!
Travel and Accommodation Guide
Create a dedicated space that addresses all things travel for your guests. If your wedding requires guests to journey from afar, provide travel information, recommended hotels, and transportation options on this page. This is where you can include any special instructions or discount codes you’ve arranged with local accommodations or travel services.
Photo Gallery Showcase
Curate a beautiful collection of photographs that depict the path leading up to your nuptials. This could include engagement photos, pre-wedding photoshoot snaps, or any other images that encapsulate your love story. This visual diary not only adds charm to your website but also helps guests feel more connected to your journey as a couple.
Note: Try Common Ninja’s Image Gallery widget (or any of our image-related widgets!)
Wedding Party Introductions
Dedicate a page to the cast of your wedding. From the bridesmaids to the groomsmen, the flower girls, and ring bearers, everyone involved in the ceremony deserves a special mention. Here you can share their names, roles, and perhaps a brief bio or photo to give your guests a better sense of who’s who.
Gift Registry/Wedding Gifts Guidance
Setting up your dream home as newlyweds often calls for a few essential items or perhaps even some luxuries. That’s where the gift registry comes in. To make it easy for your guests to find and choose from your carefully selected items, dedicate a special page on your wedding website for your registry.
On this page, not only can you link your chosen registry, but also guide your guests on how they can contribute to your future home. By providing this guidance, you’re essentially making gift-giving a breeze for your guests while ensuring you receive items you truly need or desire.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To preempt any repetitive inquiries, curate a page that addresses frequently asked questions about your wedding. This could include queries about attire, parking facilities, child attendance, or any specific customs or traditions. A well-structured FAQ page can help ensure clarity and reduce the number of incoming questions as your big day approaches.
Note: Common Ninja can make this task easier with our easy-to-use FAQ widget!
Wedding Blog
Consider creating a space where you can share real-time updates, heartwarming stories, or insightful tidbits about your wedding planning journey. This optional page allows guests to stay tuned to the latest news and feel more involved in the lead-up to your wedding.
Countdown Clock
For an added touch of excitement, incorporate a live countdown clock that ticks away the time until your wedding day. This fun feature stokes anticipation, serving as a joyful reminder for both you and your guests as you count down to the big day.
Note: Be sure to take a look at our fully customizable Countdown widget!
How To Create a Wedding Website?
Step 1: Choose Your Website Builder
There are lots of available website-building platforms today. How many you ask? Well, there are well over 200 website and e-commerce builders.
Clearly, not all are on the same level or for the same purpose, but the sheer amount is both fascinating and scary. Fascinating because it means that there’s a lot to choose from, and scary because there’s too much to choose from.
Luckily, there are around 20 that truly stand out in terms of the features they offer, how easy it is to use them and their prices. We have a great article about the best website builders out there that you should definitely take a look at.
Great Website Builders for a Wedding Website
While the above gives you a broad overview of website building, here are some website builders that could be great for building a Wedding website:
The Knot
If you’re planning a wedding and in search of a comprehensive platform, The Knot might just be your go-to resource. This platform is a maestro in the realm of wedding planning, offering a variety of customizable and charming website themes to reflect your unique wedding style. Its intuitive interface makes setting up your website a walk in the park. Moreover, it integrates seamlessly with an extensive array of vendor and guest management tools, making it an all-in-one hub for managing your special day online.
Zola
For brides and grooms who prefer a one-stop-shop approach, Zola might be the best fit. Renowned as a wedding planning and registry company, Zola also provides free wedding websites to its users.
Besides the allure of hundreds of customizable designs, Zola’s offerings extend to an integrated registry, online RSVPs, and guest list management tools. Essentially, Zola rolls all you need to manage your wedding into a single, user-friendly platform. It’s also effortless to create a striking, functional wedding website, no matter your level of technical expertise.
WeddingWire
WeddingWire, another holistic wedding planning platform, also includes a free website builder in its repertoire. With WeddingWire, you’re getting a range of customizable templates, online RSVP management, and a handy guest list tool. What’s more, WeddingWire’s websites can be fused with other planning tools on the platform, like checklists and budget planners, making it a flexible choice for the couple who wants it all.
WithJoy
For those who prioritize design and user experience, WithJoy might be your top pick. This wedding website builder is renowned for its sophisticated design choices and easy-to-navigate interface. Apart from features like custom domain names, online RSVPs, and guest list management, WithJoy stands out with a unique mobile app that syncs with your website, granting guests easy access to wedding details right from their phones.
Minted
Meanwhile, Minted stands out with its knack for maintaining a harmonious theme across all your wedding materials. Minted’s wedding websites complement their wide variety of printed invitations, making it seamless to establish a cohesive theme.
It goes beyond just appearances, providing features like online RSVPs, captivating photo galleries, and handy maps. To top it off, Minted allows you to set privacy controls, ensuring you decide who can access specific information, thereby maintaining a personalized and secure online space for your wedding details.
Choose a Hosting Plan (Optional)
Depending on what website builder you chose, you may have to get a hosting plan separately. We have a great guide on the top 10 hosting providers available on the market. Mind you that many of these offer the option to get a domain name, too.
Choose a Domain Name (Optional)
Depending on what website builder you choose, and on what hosting plan you choose, you may have to get a domain name separately.
Step 2: Start Designing Your Website
Choose a Template (Optional)
Some website builders offer pre-made templates that you can choose from for specific website types. This is a great way to save time on design.
Choose Color Schemes
Color schemes are super important in website design and branding. They’re not just for show—colors can really affect how we feel and react. If a brand chooses the right colors, it can guide our eyes where they want, make us feel a certain way, and even get us to take action.
This is where color theory comes in. It’s basically the science of how colors work together and how they make us feel. For instance, blue usually makes us feel calm and trustful, red stirs up energy and passion, and green symbolizes growth. So, when a brand chooses colors that match its vibe and the feelings it wants to evoke, it can really boost its recognition and trust with customers. Super cool, right?
Choose Fonts
Font pairing is like the secret sauce in website design and branding. Just like colors, the fonts you choose can really set the mood and deliver your brand message. You’ve got to think about the vibes different fonts give off. A fancy script might feel elegant, while a bold, all-caps font can scream confidence and power.
The trick is in finding fonts that complement each other without clashing or looking too similar. That’s why we do font pairing. You want your headline font to grab attention, but it needs to work well with your body text font, which should be easy to read. So, for instance, you might pair a decorative font for your headers with a simple, clean one for the body text. Get it right, and you’re on your way to a website that looks super professional and keeps your visitors reading. It’s a bit like a good music duo—each part’s got to be good on its own, but together they create a whole new level of awesome!
Add a Hero Image
The hero section of a website is like the opening scene of a movie—it sets the stage and grabs your attention. It’s that first big chunk you see when you land on a website, often with a big image, a catchy headline, and a call to action. It’s there to quickly show you what the site or the brand is all about and, hopefully, make you want to stick around.
Choosing the right elements for your hero section is key. A stunning image or background can draw people in, while a powerful headline can spark interest. Then there’s the call to action, which could be a button or a link, nudging you to do something—like shop now, sign up, or learn more. So, think of the hero section like your website’s elevator pitch. It’s got to be punchy, engaging, and super clear about what’s on offer. If it’s done right, it’s like a friendly welcome mat that invites visitors to come in and explore more.
Add CTAs
Calls to Action (CTAs) on a website are like your friendly tour guides. They tell you where to go next and what to do. You’ll often find them as buttons or links with words like “Buy Now”, “Sign Up”, “Learn More”—you get the idea. They’re super important because they help guide your visitors and encourage them to take the actions you want them to.
But here’s the thing: all CTAs are not created equal. A good CTA is clear, concise, and compelling—it tells you exactly what you’ll get and why you should click on it. And where you place them can make a big difference, too. You want to position your CTAs where they’ll be noticed, like in your hero section, at the end of a blog post, or even in a pop-up. So, think of CTAs as your website’s friendly nudges, steering your visitors in the right direction and getting them to engage, interact, and hopefully, become customers. It’s like having a good salesperson right there on the page.
Step 3: Publish The Website
When you are done setting up and designing your website, publish it. And that’s it.
How To Enhance Your Wedding Website?
Enhance Your Website With Powerful Widgets
While many of the website builders we recommended are great for building your Wedding website, they are somewhat limited in the features and tools they offer, and, in a competitive world, every additional feature that you can add to your website can be a game changer.
That’s where Common Ninja comes in to save the day.
Common Ninja offers an extensive, ever-growing collection of professional and reliable widgets that will help you save time and money and improve your website beyond what your current website-building platform offers.
Common Ninja’s widgets are free, fully customizable, perfectly responsive, and easy to use (just check our YouTube guides), so be sure to check them out, and greatly improve your website.
Common Ninja — The Only Collection of Widgets You’ll Ever Need
Content
Content is an important part of any website, no matter what niche it’s in. Content can include anything from text, images, videos, and other media that informs, educates, or entertains the audience, and we highly recommend that you add good content to your website.
It is crucial for several reasons:
- It provides value to visitors — good content, can provide value to users, whether these are guides, service or product comparisons, tips, tricks, or other equally helpful content.
- It builds trust and credibility — by creating good, well-written, and well-researched content, you can increase trust in your brand and improve its credibility.
- It improves SEO: Search engines like Google prioritize websites with high-quality, relevant content, so by creating content that includes relevant keywords and provides value to your audience, you can improve your website’s search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your website.
- It drives conversions — well-written content that addresses pain points, with strategically placed CTAs can drive conversions, such as sign-ups, purchases, or inquiries, up.
- It establishes your brand’s voice and identity — the content on your website is an opportunity to establish your brand’s voice and identity. Consistent and high-quality content can help your brand stand out and create a memorable impression on your audience.
Optimization
Optimizing a website is essential for improving its visibility on search engines, increasing traffic, and improving the user experience. Here are some effective ways to optimize your website:
- Remove unnecessary distractions
- Improve page speed
- Optimize for mobile
- Optimize forms
- Write good copy
- Write good CTAs
- Define and communicate your value proposition
- Localize content
Promotion
Promoting a website is essential for increasing its visibility and driving traffic to it.
It requires time & effort, and here are some ways that can help you promote your website:
- Social Media: Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram are great for promoting your website, building a following, and driving traffic to it.
- Email marketing: Building an email list is an effective way to promote your website, reach your audience directly, and keep them updated on your latest content or products.
- Paid advertising: Paid advertising through platforms like Google Ads or social media ads can help you reach a larger audience and drive targeted traffic to your website.
- Collaboration: Collaborating with other websites in your niche can help you gain exposure, drive traffic to your site and improve your SEO via backlinking.
- Incentives: Offering incentives like discounts, free trials, or giveaways can attract new users to your website and encourage them to share it with others.
Conclusion
And there we have it – our comprehensive walk-through of building a personalized wedding website. From the love-soaked photos to the tiniest of ceremony details, your site should truly reflect your unique love story and your big day.
Remember, your wedding website is more than just a digital invite; it’s a handy tool, a go-to resource, and, above all, a shared space for you and your loved ones to build up excitement in the run-up to your ‘I dos’. So embrace the process, inject your personality and get ready to mark this significant milestone in style. Happy planning!
