Having a wedding website is by no means a requirement, but many Illinois couples are finding a great way to build excitement for the big day by having a web page dedicated to it! A wedding website is a perfect resource to share more than can fit on a save the date or invitation. Websites can include bonus information to further personalize it like the engagement story, and useful information like links to the gift registry or hotel blocks.
If you’re ready to start your own wedding website, we have all the details on where to start, what’s the difference (WeddingWire vs Zola vs The Knot), and what’s included in common wedding websites to make them complete!
Popular Wedding Websites: What’s the Difference
Zola
- Cost: Free (Custom domain is $14.95)
- Registry: Zola-hosted registry
- RSVP services included
- 140+ design templates
- Matching Wedding Stationery
The Knot
- Cost: Free (Custom domain is $20)
- Registry: Easily hosts registries from many places, along with cash and experience gifts
- RSVP services included
- 100+ design templates
- Matching Wedding Stationery
WeddingWire
- Cost: Free (Custom domain is $24 for 1 year)
- Registry: WeddingWire-hosted registry
- 120+ design templates
- RSVP services included
Additional Website Information
If you have additional information to share about your wedding (especially if it doesn’t fit on your invite), your wedding website is the place to share it! If you are using a website that allows for RSVPing or allows you to add an album for your engagement photos, take advantage of it! Along with engagement photos, you can add a collection of your favorite photos of you and your fiance throughout your relationship.
Wedding websites are also a great place to show some love to your wedding party! Many couples like to include their wedding party, sharing if they are a relative or friend, adding a photo, or a story to go along with listing each individual’s names.
If you have them, don’t forget these additional details on your website: your wedding hashtag, attire suggestions for the guests, and parking instructions for your ceremony or reception if it is not obvious upon arrival.
Examples of Real Wedding Websites
Cassidy + Jacob – The Knot Website
Along with postponements and location changes, your website can also correct any misinformation, and in Cassidy and Jacob’s case, their address was printed incorrectly on the invites, so they were able to note the mistake and share their accurate address on the website.
Cassidy & Jacob’s website hosted on The Knot.com included all the essential information on the wedding including specific start and end times for the ceremony and reception making it helpful for attendees to know the reception is to follow the ceremony with a 15-minute timeframe in between. They also went above and beyond to include a short timeline of their story including dates of when they met and were engaged, their wedding party, photos throughout their relationship including engagement photos, and registry links.
Brittany + Calvin – WeddingWire Website
We love Brittany and Calvin really took the time to create an awesome photo section on their website! Their photos are organized in three sections: engagement shoot, euro trips, and through the years. Their wedding website also has all the must-haves, including hotel block information for three hotels (plus where each hotel is located compared to the wedding location), and a short timeline of the wedding day’s events and dress code details.
Lynn + Tony – Zola Website
Lynn and Tony’s website includes all the essentials, and then some like their wedding hashtag! Versions from each perspective (his side and her side) on how they met which is a great addition for loved ones to read! Along with including their bridesmaids and groomsmen, they also have their parents, flower girl, and ring bearers listed, showing love to everyone involved! Other important information to find on their website is their wedding block discount code and start and end times for their wedding events!
Zola lets you hide certain wedding events, and will only display them if they are included on the guestlist you provide. So when they RSVP, the rehearsal or additional events you want them to see will be shown to those invited!
So, when you’ve run out of space on your wedding invitation, want a platform to share your favorite engagement photos, or want to share your favorite spots in the town of your wedding for your guests, a wedding website is a great solution!
Complete Weddings + Events in Central Illinois
Creating a wedding website helps build up excitement for the big day, and can be a great resource for your guests! Contact Complete Weddings + Event in Central Illinois to help knock out your wedding vendor team to help make this big day a success!