Wedding Website Essentials
Creating a wedding website is one of the first big tasks we recommend to our couples at Cathy’s Elegant Events. As a Hudson Valley wedding planner and designer with 15+ years of experience, I’ve helped countless couples create websites that are more than just pretty—they’re actually useful. Whether you're planning a chic local wedding in the Hudson Valley, or a weekend-long celebration in the New England mountains, having the right info online can save your sanity and reduce the 478 questions guests love to ask.
KEEP IN MIND
Before You Send Save-the-Dates: Create your site. Get it live early—even with just the basics. This plants the seed in guests’ minds: “Hey, there’s a wedding website I should check!”
First Impressions Matter: You’ll be lucky if guests visit your website once, so make that first click count. Keep it simple, fast-loading, and easy to navigate.
Comprehensive But Not Cluttered: Give as much information as you can with as few words and pages as possible. Don’t over explain. Just guide.
Even if you don't have all the details yet, add placeholders. For example, if you're still finalizing Friday's events, you can put "Friday - Welcome Party" - Cocktail Attire - "Check back for more information!"
Don’t Bury the Good Stuff: Skip “About Us” pages and 40-photo galleries (save it for the album). Instead, fold any personal touches into your homepage or the schedule page.
Short Attention Spans Are Real: Guests skim. If it takes more than 3 seconds to find where to park, they’re texting your mom.
YOUR ULTIMATE WEBSITE CHECK LIST
BEFORE SENDING SAVE THE DATES
STEP 1: Choose a Platform
(Options: WithJoy | Squarespace | Zola.com | etc)
Create Your Website
Create Your Pages
Home Page
Schedule
Travel Information
Gift Registry
FAQs
STEP 2: Add Your Details
If you’re still planning, use placeholders like “Check back soon!” so guests know more info is coming.
Home Page Should Include
If you want to include your story - add it here
Names
Date (add ‘weekend of’ if there will be multiple days of activities)
Location (City/State, Country if it’s a destination)
Schedule (only activities all guests are invited to)
Pre-Wedding activities
Suggested attire
Start & End times
Location(s)
Give an indication of what to expect (do they need to eat dinner elsewhere, bring cash for the bar? etc.)
Wedding Day
Shuttle Information - direct them to the Travel Info Page
Suggested attire
Ceremony Start Time (I recommend including ‘starting promptly at’)
Cocktail Hour & Dinner Reception to follow (if applicable)
End Time
After Party
Start and End times
Location
Bonfire (?) - If so, suggest bringing a change of clothes
Post Wedding Activities
Suggested attire
Start & End times
Location(s)
Travel Information
Hotel Room Blocks - be sure to include the cut-off date to make reservations
Shuttle: Make a note the shuttles will be available to/from here and to see the schedule below (which you will add)
Additional Accommodations
Shuttle: Make a note shuttles will NOT be including this location (if applicable)
Airports recommended for the region
Trains: If there are local train stations they should be considering
Include if the hotel can help with transport to/from station
Step 2 continued
Crowd Sharing and/or Taxi services: It is important to ask your planner, venue and/or hotel if these are reliable in your region. They are often not in more rural area. If they aren’t your guests should be made aware in advance.
Shuttles
Pick up/Drop off addresses
Times
What time will it arrive to pick guests up
What *prompt* time they will leave to the venue
What times at the end of the night they will leave the venue to come back to the hotel
Gift Registry - Even if not having a registry you should be guiding guests on what you are expecting (honeymoon fun, etc.)
FAQs
Be sure to include a detailed list of FAQs (see below)
AFTER SENDING SAVE THE DATES
STEP 3: Before Sending Invitations
RSVPs
Create Page
RSVP deadline date
Add guest list to the sites RSVP tracker to help with configuring the responses (this will also provide a better guest experience)
Ask the Right Questions
Attending/Not Attending
Pre-Wedding activities
Shuttles (if they will be planning to use them)
Wedding
After Party
Post-Wedding activities
Allergies/restrictions
Meal Selections
BEFORE THE WEDDING
STEP 4: The Week of the Wedding
Clean up the website
Remove anything no longer needed
Airport Info
Train Station Details
Hotel should no longer have reservation information
Anything no longer needed
Rearrange so most important items are easiest to find
Shuttle information should be first on the transportation page
Make sure everything is up to date and correct
Dates
Times
Addresses
A person to contact with questions OTHER THAN THE COUPLE
WEDDING WEBSITE FAQs & ANSWERS
Notes & Details you should revise based on your event specifics
1. Have you reserved Hotel Room Blocks?
Yes, please visit our Travel Info Page (insert link)
2. Will there be shuttles available to/from the hotel?
Yes, please see our Travel Info Page (insert link) for more details
3. What is the RSVP deadline date?
We plan to send out the invitation in XXXX, we will ask that you please RSVP no later than XXXX
14 weeks before wedding - invitations should be mailed
10 weeks before wedding - suggested RSVP date
4. Will we be able to RSVP online or do we need to mail it back?
We will be accepting RSVPs online, please come back after receiving your invitation and you will be able to access the RSVP feature.
5. What if I have allergies or restrictions?
There will be an area in the RSVP to let us know so we can take this into account
6. Are there other wedding events I can attend?
Yes! We are planning a Friday Welcome Party Gathering and a Brunch on Sunday. We hope everyone can make it to all events! Please see the Schedule Page (add link) for more details
7. Where is the wedding weekend and its various events taking place?
Please visit our Schedule Page (add link) for all of the details!
8. What time should I arrive at the ceremony?
We plan to begin promptly at 3:30p and expect it to be a 5-10 minute walk from the reception desk/parking.
Please plan to arrive no later than 3:15p
9. What should I wear?
We suggest visiting our Schedule Page (insert link) for each events suggested attire
If you are having any events outside we suggest adding “Some of the events will be taking place on grass or uneven surfaces, we suggest planning for appropriate footwear.
10. What will the weather be like?
We are getting married in (insert season) in (insert region) we suggest you plan for (insert appropriate temperature range, including if it is likely to drop in temp significantly after dark).
11. Will there be shuttles available for those who are not staying on-site?
Yes! We will have shuttles for the wedding to/from the 2 other hotels we have rooms reserved.
Ask your Hotel/Venue/Planner - in rural areas it is not uncommon to have unreliable (or non-existent) taxi or ride sharing apps in the area. If that is the case where you are getting married we suggest adding another bullet here saying ‘Since Taxi and Ride Sharing options are unreliable in the area we highly suggest planning to utilize our complementary shuttles.
12. If I am driving to/from the wedding, where should I park?
Let guests know if there is parking on site, if it is limited, also if you need to know (for the venue) in advance who is/isn’t parking day-of.
13. Am I able to take an Uber/Lyft?
Rideshare services are highly unreliable (often not available at all) - we do not encourage you to rely on these.
14. Can I bring a date?
Due to space restrictions at our venue we couldn’t give +1s to everyone but please review your wedding invitation for details
When addressing their invitation we suggest adding their plus one there or having it only addressed to the individual
15. Can I bring kids to the wedding?
To provide a carefree atmosphere for all guests, we are requesting an adults-only celebration.
You can still include some immediate family children (ring bearer, flower girl, etc.) but all your guests don’t need to know that and you can discuss the logistics with those children’s parents (having them leave after ceremony, etc.)
16. What time is the reception scheduled to end?
Music will end at XX:XX
Include any information about going to the Schedule Page (insert link) for after party information, shuttle details, etc.
17. Do you have a gift registry somewhere?
You can add the information here if you do or let guests know you would prefer funds to go toward your honeymoon, first house, etc.
18. If I have additional questions, what should I do?
Feel free to reach out to our wedding planner Cathy! Her email address is XXXXXXXXX@XXXX.com
List someone's info so they don’t bother the couple!