Creating a website to plan your wedding and share details with your guests is a great idea. Today, anyone can set up a wedding website thanks to website builders. Which one should you pick?
How Did We Choose the Best Wedding Website Builders?
Planning and sharing information about your special day on your own can seem overwhelming at first. However, a wedding website builder can simplify the process and take the stress out of organizing and communicating information about your big day.
There are many wedding website builders out there with multiple features to choose from. It can seem overwhelming to find the one that meets your needs at a price you can afford. We researched a selection of the most popular wedding website builders based on the following criteria:
Drag-and-drop editor — A drag-and-drop editor makes it easy for anyone without a background in web design to customize their website as they please. You can choose a basic layout and then drag preset elements where you want them. In short, you create a web page that’s as unique and personal as your big day.
Wedding features — Managing everything from the smallest to the largest details of the wedding, whether RSVP tracking or a gift registry, can be a mammoth task. Depending on what you wish to use the website for, the website builder should have tools that can help you oversee the various aspects without requiring you to manually keep track of everything.
Privacy controls — No matter how big or small, a wedding is a personal event. Privacy controls let you choose what data others can see on your website. It’s important to keep personal information like names, attendee details, locations, and dates hidden from search engines.
What Is Wedding Website Builder Software?
A wedding website builder helps you create a hub for both planners and attendees to access relevant information about your big day. Its sole purpose is to assist with planning the event and make sure everything goes according to plan.
Whether you decide to plan the wedding on your own or have your friends coordinate the event with you, having a wedding website allows you to keep all the details in a central location for easy retrieval.
Guests have access to key details via the website, including the dress code, travel plans, the gift registry, and important dates. Some sites even let guests post their own stories and well-wishes to the new couple to serve as a keepsake.
They can bring your event to life through a blog, shared stories, or even a gallery of photographs. Others allow the couple to raise money for the ceremony or honeymoon.
Each website builder is different, so it’s important to understand what features matter the most to you and choose the one that either already includes or lets you add them.
How To Choose Your Wedding Website Builder Software
The best wedding website builders are easy to use, allow you to customize the website with wedding-specific features, and keep your data secure. According to our experts, you can’t go wrong with the following website builders:
A wedding website builder should make it as easy as possible for you to organize details of the event. Here are some must-have features that you should look out for when comparing software:
The ability to design your page according to the color scheme and style of your wedding
The option to add a photo gallery or video of your special day
Drag-and-drop features that allow you to customize your page without any coding experience
The option of creating digital invites and RSVPs that merge with a database
The ability to create a timeline of events to keep track of major milestones
Easy access to technical support to get any questions answered
Everything you need in a single site to plan and organize your wedding
Joy provides everything you need in a single site to plan and organize your wedding. It has a host of tools, like a guest list checkoff, save the dates, and invitations. You can also create a template for hotel accommodations and shuttle listings and put all your wedding registries in one place.
Another unique feature of Joy is that you can stream your event for family and friends who live far away and are unable to attend.
Free templates are available to get you started, with the option to add extra features such as photo galleries, live slideshows, and RSVPs. You can share your site through social media and choose whether you want your event to be public or private. Joy is free to use, as the company makes money from the commissions they earn through registries.
Pros and cons of Joy
Pros
App available on Android and iOS devices
Cons
Live support online available during normal business hours
You can choose to get a personal consultation with an expert for an additional cost
Minted lets you create a wedding website for free. You can choose from hundreds of designs that match the style and tone of your wedding or load custom artwork and make the website completely original. You can arrange the site design and layout according to your personal preferences, as well as create printed cards to match the site.
There are also options to add information about travel and accommodation or share your story via photos and videos.
A premium builder priced at $15 lets you add password protection, gives you custom pages, and makes your website smartphone-friendly so it’s easier for family and friends to view your special day at any time they wish. While the site builder is free, you can choose to get a personal consultation with an expert for $49.
Those with little or no design experience can get a website up and running quickly
The Knot was specifically designed to help couples organize and share their special day with family and friends. The website builder includes hundreds of designs that can be customized to make the site completely your own. You can choose a personalized URL, a custom cover photo, and a unique color scheme for each site.
The site is so easy to use that even those with little or no design experience can get a website up and running. You also have access to hundreds of vendors that can assist with everything from wedding planning to flowers.
The Knot lets you integrate your registries, add your dates, and view a timeline of the special event. The site also makes it easy to coordinate hotel rooms and meals and even create custom invitations for printing. Additionally, The Knot has a blog where you can find answers to common questions about building a site.
The wedding website builder is free to use.
Pros and cons of The Knot
Pros
Available across devices
Cons
Online Support Support online available during business hours
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WeddingWire
Best wedding website builder for wedding coordinators
Wedding Wire allows you to collaborate easily with vendors, specialists, guests, and key decision makers
You can plan and organize your wedding and find the vendors you need to complete the task through WeddingWire. Create a checklist to help you remember what tasks you’ve accomplished, or organize your guest list and create seating charts.
The website includes community advice from others who’ve used the software, and you can browse a list of weddings and review how WeddingWire made the day special. You can also read blog posts that contain ideas and tips from wedding experts to get inspired for your own special day.
WeddingWire is free to use and makes it simple to locate specialists in your area who can assist with planning your wedding. Start with a template and add, remove, or move items around to make the site your own. Because it’s free, the site doesn’t have a trial or demo option.
Pros and cons of WeddingWire
Pros
Available online and as an app on Apple and Android devices
Cons
Support only available during business hours
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Zola
Best wedding website builder for designer templates
Offers 200+ unique designs for stylish wedding websites
The user interface of Zola is straightforward, making it simple to explore. Zola is the one-stop shop for all your wedding-related needs. The process of creating a wedding registry is made simple and fun for today's busy couples thanks to its innovative features.
They also provide versatile payment alternatives that meet your budget. Additionally, they offer free listings with no annual commitments. Premium wedding websites start at $14.95, the benefits of their custom tier options include total control over your wedding website, domain forwarding, domain locking, and status notifications for changes in your domain.
Pros and cons of Zola
Pros
Price-match certain products
Easy to navigate
Cons
Deduct a 2.5% processing fee for any cash gifts made through the site
What customers are saying:
The free, wedding-specific site builder has hundreds of themes and designs to help you create the wedding website of your dreams. Customers love the user-friendly interface of Zola with an appealing aesthetic that is tailored for the modern couple.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wedding Website Builders
What are the benefits of wedding website builder software?
Using a wedding website builder can bring a wealth of benefits. Some of these include the following:
Couples on a budget can save money on expensive invites and follow-ups by creating and sending them digitally.
Connecting with friends and family online can translate into a larger and quicker response rate.
When planning the reception dinner, you can inquire about dietary restrictions or requirements so you get a better idea of what meals you need to order.
It’s also possible to track RSVPs so you know exactly who is going to attend.
Communicating online allows you to inform guests of last-minute changes, such as the need to move the ceremony under cover or indoors in the event of inclement weather.
As long as you have a reliable internet connection, a website builder lets you access your wedding details from anywhere.
You also can include more details about the event than you can on a traditional wedding invitation. You can include detailed directions to the event, inform guests about your wedding colors or the dress code, or provide accommodation information for a destination wedding.
How much does wedding website builder software cost?
Wedding website builder software ranges in price depending on the kind of features and support you are looking for. Free sites are available and are ideal if you’re planning a simple event and don’t require a lot of customization.
Many free sites do charge for add-on features, such as mailed announcements, custom domains, and an online registry. Some software programs offer free sites for up to a certain number of expected guests.
Custom pricing makes it easy to choose and pay for only the features you want or need. Some custom sites also offer free trials or demos so you can explore what they offer before making a decision.
Website builders often offer monthly or yearly pricing plans. Month-to-month billing is an option to consider if you’re unsure of the exact date of your wedding. You can expect to pay anywhere from $1.99 to $40 per month.
Most couples choose a yearly payment option, which costs around $240. This is ideal for those who want to start their planning well in advance. Most websites offer discounts for yearly plans, which can reduce costs.
Some plans require you to pay an additional amount to host the site or to make it live. Web hosting generally starts as low as $5.99 per year for small weddings, but can cost as much as $99.99 per year for larger weddings or for pages that generate high traffic.
Do I need to make my wedding website private?
Privacy worries are understandable, especially if a search engine may find your wedding webpage online. The best way to safeguard your data is to secure it with a password that only your visitors will know.
Is having a wedding website worth it?
Having a wedding website is not only less expensive and more environmentally friendly, but it is also a more effective method to keep track of your plans. You can use it as the central location to manage every aspect of your wedding from one place and provide updates or alterations to the event.