Do I really need a Wedding Website?
Many engaged couples are asking themselves this question as a very popular trend snowballs through the wedding industry. Before I got engaged I certainly wouldn’t have considered getting a personal website to post personal information and pictures about myself, so the idea seemed bizarre to me too. Then, about a month after my fiancée proposed, I visited a friend’s wedding website and realized it was more of a necessity as a means to distribute information, than about vanity at all.
As it turned out, our wedding website was one of the best parts about our wedding. The site allowed us to build a lot of momentum towards the big day. People felt a part of the planning and our families and friends who hadn’t met John or myself got to learn more about us, which made a big difference on our wedding day.
We both have big families and had many people coming from out of town. The website allowed us to put all of the travel information (air, car, hotel) in one spot that everyone had access to. There was also tons of information about our city available on our site, which was great for people who had never been to Boston before.
We made sure to include a little card in our invitation that informed everyone that all information regarding the wedding such as details and maps of events would be posted on our website. This saved us many phone calls with questions about where and when each event was taking place. Our guests loved the RSVP feature, 75% of our guests replied on line! People really seemed to prefer responding by email instead of snail mail. Once they were on the site, the Online registry also made it very convenient for our guests to give us gifts that we actually wanted.
Due to my chronic shyness, I thought you had to be an exhibitionist to consider getting a website. The truth is, it gave many people who didn’t know us, a great way to learn about each of us through our story, biographies and pictures. People seemed to really like the Poll and Quiz which we updated a few times before and after the wedding. We were able to stretch out our incredible wedding for a long time as people went to the site to see our pictures and send wonderful comments through the guest book for weeks after the wedding.
We couldn’t believe how easy it was to create our site. It really was just filling in forms Online. All the work was done for us, and the designs were just great. We also really appreciated that it did not cost a fortune and that we were able try it before we bought it before committing to what was a thoroughly enjoyable process from beginning to end.
As you can see the website was a huge success with our guests who came to the wedding, but it was equally gratifying for our friends and family around the world who couldn’t make it. Witness my 94 year old grandmother who was actually able to take part in my wedding even though she couldn’t leave her house. So in answer to the question posed in the title of this letter, this former septic highly recommends a wedding website for every engaged couple!
Article by USA Bride
Some popular sites to create your wedding website:
Read a quick breakdown of each wedding site
Create Your Wedding Newsletter
by Elizabeth Watts
Wedding newsletters are used for several reasons. It’s a great way to let people know of your plans ahead of time – before the invitations are sent out. This is especially helpful for those traveling a long distance and need to make arrangements for accommodations. If you are getting married over a holiday weekend, it’s a good idea to send out a newsletter so that family and friends won’t make other plans.
A wedding newsletter made easily on your computer – programs like Microsoft’s Publisher have many templates you can use — or you can purchase a wedding-specific software program.
What to Include in Your Newsletter
Introduce yourselves as a couple: Tell your visitors and guests the story of how you met and got engaged.
Give all the details for the big day:
- Provide a wedding day itinerary with times, addresses, and even directions to the sites. List all those who are expected to participate in each event and when they are needed.
- Put your wedding party newsletter Online. Your web site can act like a newsletter that is continually updated so your guests will always know where to look for last-minute details. For those who don’t have Internet access, all you have to do is print out the sections they need to see and mail them.
- Another considerate idea is to provide links to nearby accommodations for out-of-town guests. You can even come up with a list of places guests might want to investigate during a lull between wedding ceremony and reception.
- One bride directed her guests to local attractions such as:
- Barnes and Nobles for the book lovers.
- River Walk for the nature lovers.
- Fox Valley Mall for some shopping.
Include other creative ideas:
- Write a few paragraphs about, “A day in the life of a bride”.
- Quote your favorite love poem:
“That done, our day of marriage shall be yours
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness…”
—Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” (Act V, Scene IV) - Include pictures of you individually and as a couple, as well as photos of wedding details, such as your location, flowers and favors.
- Use your newsletter to explain wedding traditions you will be incorporating that your guests may not be familiar with. For example, one couple included this description of the Chinese tea ceremony in their newsletter:
“The tea ceremony is a tradition that goes back many, many generations. This ceremony is a symbol of acceptance of the new couple’s marriage. Tea is offered to immediate family members who rank higher than the newlyweds. The drinking of the tea symbolizes the acceptance of the marriage. It is a ‘toast’ welcoming a new member into the family and a ‘toast’ for celebration.”
Whatever you end up including on your wedding newsletter, have fun making it and share this special event in your life with your friends and family.
Marie Tyler Wiley 
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