How to Make a Wedding Website
To make a wedding website: choose how you'll build it (a free builder, a website platform, or a designed invitation website), pick a design and web address, write the essential pages (home, schedule, travel, FAQ, registry), set up RSVP, decide on privacy, then share the link with your save the dates. Most couples launch 6–8 months before the wedding and keep adding details as plans firm up.
8 steps to a wedding website
- Choose how to build it. Free builders (Zola, The Knot, Joy) are quick if you're happy designing it yourself. General website builders give more control but take longer. A designed invitation website is made for you and doubles as the invitation.
- Pick a design. Match your venue and season: lace and serif fonts for a formal wedding, illustration for a vineyard, a dark palette for a black-tie evening. Check it on your phone first.
- Choose your address. Free builders give you a sub-address (e.g. yourbuilder.com/emma-and-james). A custom domain like emmaandjames.com costs roughly $15–20 a year and is easier to share.
- Write the essential pages. Home (names, date, city, RSVP button), schedule, travel & accommodation, FAQ and registry. Add your story, wedding party and gallery if you like.
- Set up RSVP. Ask only what you'll use: attendance, meal choice, dietary needs and, if relevant, which events each guest attends. Set the deadline 3–4 weeks before the wedding.
- Decide on privacy. Add a password if your site lists addresses, hotel codes or private venues; otherwise keep it simple for guests.
- Test it. Open every page on a phone, RSVP as a test guest, check maps open directions, and ask one older relative to try it.
- Share and update. Add the link to your save the dates and invitations (or a QR code), then update the site as details change — guests treat it as the source of truth.
Ways to build it
| Free builder | Website platform | Designed invitation website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examples | Zola, The Knot, Joy | Squarespace, Wix | HostMyWedding |
| Cost | Free; custom domain ~$15–20/yr | Monthly plan | One flat fee |
| Who builds it | You, from a template | You, from scratch or a template | Designers, from your details |
| Time to launch | An afternoon | Days | 7–21 business days |
| Animated invitation | No | Possible with custom work | Yes |
Builder pricing changes often — check each provider. Domain prices vary by registrar and name.
What to include (checklist)
- Your names, date and city on the homepage, with the RSVP deadline
- Schedule with times, venues, dress codes and who is invited to what
- Travel: nearest airport, hotel blocks and booking deadlines, transport and parking
- FAQ: plus-ones, children, weather plan, photos, gifts
- RSVP with meal choices and dietary needs
- Registry or gift note — kept optional
- Our story, wedding party and photo gallery (optional)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a wedding website cost?
Free builders cost nothing apart from an optional custom domain (around $15–20 a year). Website platforms charge monthly. Designed invitation websites charge a one-time fee.
When should I make my wedding website?
Launch it with your save the dates, 6–8 months before the wedding (8–12 months for a destination wedding), and add details as they are confirmed.
Do I need a custom domain?
No, but a short custom domain is easier to share and remember. You can check which names are available with our free wedding domain name checker.
What should a wedding website say?
At minimum: names, date, city, schedule, travel details, FAQ and an RSVP with a deadline. See our wedding website wording examples for copy you can use.