When Should You Start Your Wedding Website?
Sooner than you may think! And it makes wedding planning that much easier.
Why have a wedding website? What is its purpose? It’s definitely not just a formality. Wedding websites are practical tools to help couples get important information to their guests, and make wedding planning easier along the way. They’re a centralized way to share timing, venue directions, attire and what to wear inspiration, ideas for what to do in free time, and gift registry items. They are for every bit of information that doesn’t necessarily belong on an invitation or save the date, but that you don’t want to text to friends and family two or 200 hundred times.
We also believe that wedding websites are a way to set the tone of the event. For guests to have the right expectations and to prepare accordingly. They help guests get to know the couple, and potentially the immediate people supporting them, better ahead of the wedding weekend and in turn, that makes for a more intimate and fulfilling wedding event experience.
But what’s the most important part of a wedding website? A recent Riley & Grey customer review that came our way made us rethink the value of each piece of content on our couple’s website. And the answer is actually pretty simple - it’s whatever is most important to you as a couple. Now, that can mean it’s different for every couple, but the takeaway from this bride is that the process was where they got the most value from the site, and that’s pretty special.
Hear from real Riley & Grey bride Josette about her take on the wedding website building process:
“Building our website ended up being one of the most unexpectedly special parts of wedding planning. It started as just a practical way to share details with our guests, but it turned into something much more meaningful. Designing the site felt like a little labor of love! The whole thing was super intuitive to set up, even with everything else going on. It was easy to update, organize, and personalize, and our guests kept telling us how helpful and thoughtful it was.
A piece of advice for new couples: As a new bride navigating the wedding world, I’ll say that the only downside to creating our wedding website was realizing that guests don’t always engage with it as much as you might hope. Sure, they’ll check it when it’s absolutely necessary—like RSVPing (which was crucial for us since we needed an exact headcount)—but overall, the site didn’t get as many views as we expected.
We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make it perfect, thinking it would be a major part of the guest experience. In the end, it was more important to us than to anyone else—which is totally okay, but also good to keep in perspective.
That said, the great thing about Riley & Grey is that the site is already half built for you. It’s super easy to customize and add your details, so you really don’t need to stress about making it over the top. Keep it simple, make it yours, and don’t overthink it.
All in all, the site became a little reflection of us, and it really set the tone for the celebration. So glad we picked this unique platform!”
We love Josette’s lessons learned about keeping things simple and not overthinking it. Easier said than done in practice of course, but her perspective on the website process being for you as a couple and making it yours is one we absolutely get behind.
If you’re looking for help in making your wedding website a reflection of you, the “About the Couple” is a great place to focus on. While encapsulating your entire love story into a few sentences or paragraphs can seem daunting, starting by answering a few questions can break it down to become more manageable.
Here are five questions that will help you give direction to your love story:
The story of how you first met is always a crowd-pleaser, so be sure to include it in your love story. Whether it was love at first sight or a slow burn that developed over time, this is the perfect opportunity to share your first impressions of each other and the events that led to your first date.
Take some time to reflect on the qualities that drew you to your partner and what makes them so special to you. Whether it's their sense of humor, their kind heart, or their unwavering support, highlighting these qualities will help your guests get to know you both better.
From your first vacation together to that time you stayed up all night talking, there are likely many special moments that stand out in your relationship. Share one of your favorite memories with your guests to give them a glimpse into your life as a couple.
While your wedding day is a celebration of your love so far, it's also a time to look forward to your future together. Whether you're excited about starting a family, traveling the world, or just growing old together, sharing your dreams for the future will help your guests feel even more connected to you.
Last but certainly not least, share the story of your engagement. Whether it was a surprise proposal or a planned event, this is a moment you'll always cherish and want to share with your loved ones.
You can answer these questions for the wedding website together, separately to combine, or have one of you take the lead. At Riley & Grey, you can add your love story and all of the important details to one of our stunning design templates, and be well on your way to creating a wedding website that showcases your unique journey as a couple.
Riley & Grey exists to help couples make their own websites beautiful, enjoyable for guests, and uniquely their own, so we love stories like Josette’s. If you’re unsure about the website process, or are ready to get going, we’ve got you covered with more blog articles, and helpful tips and pre-drafted content in the website editor. Enjoy the journey.
Sooner than you may think! And it makes wedding planning that much easier.
You can make it look like you spent months building the perfect site without the time and effort with Riley & Grey.
