Wedding Websites - Who has the time?!
I was asked about wedding websites - what I thought of them, the best method, what to put on them, etc.
What I think about them: I think they are a great way to communicate all the vital and not so vital wedding information to your friends, family and guests. It's a great tool for lazy or really busy brides, plus, it's fun! As well, you don't have to keep rattling off all the same data to all the interested parties - you can send out a mass email and direct them to Info Central, saving you time in the long run. You can put directions, registry, things to do, places to stay etc on there and keep those details out of the invitation (except to your computer illiterate guests, like Grandma Fran), thereby saving you postage and your friends and family the trouble of finding that too tiny map that slipped out of the invitation and under their couch. Please note, I did say registry. I know, I know I recently condemned declaring your registry...but that was in the invitation. And, although some may consider it borderline, I think the website is a happy medium. If you're hesitant to list your registry, you can at least list those in your wedding party (and contact information for them - if you can keep their emails private) so that guests know who to ask for registry information. It's also a lot of fun for the bride to share her thoughts, plans, choices, feelings, pictures and everything else! Instead of talking your friends to death, you can post and upload to your heart's content (someone is ALWAYS interested! Even if it is only Great-Aunt Jeanne).
The best method: I truly believe it's a preference. The Knot has the functionality, as does The Wedding Channel and several other resource sites. They seem pretty easy and straight forward. Your choices of customization are small, but honestly, it's your wedding website, not your invitations! And, they are free! There is also the "newest thang" of paying for your wedding website, there's tons of places out there, like ewedding.com that charge you for a year's worth of hosting - about $5-10 per month. Some nice perks with these, like picking your own ".com" name - i.e. SarahJaneandRobertMichaelWedding.com; uploading files for guests and wedding party; additional customizations (backgrounds, background music, pictures, links), etc. It's like opening your wedding notebook to the world...if you want anyway.
What to put in them: A word of caution - whatever you post to the internet becomes very public. That seems like a very obvious comment, but you'd be surprised by what people put out on their websites, thinking no one else is really looking. Believe me, they are! So do try to keep some anonymity and certainly don't post any information that you want to keep private in any way. With that caution in mind, be creative! These days you may have friends and family spread across the country, or world even and many may have never met your significant-O - so let them get to know him/her though the website. Let people know how you got engaged, your wedding plans, information for guests (maps, directions, etc), wedding event information (showers, etc), and pictures! Posting where you are registered, as I mentioned above it ok.
I'd like to have one, but I don't have the time....or I am computer illiterate...or I hate this kind of stuff...
Have your bridal consultant do it for you! Honestly! I set up a website on The Knot for one of my clients - she gave me all the information (much of I knew and had developed for her anyway) and I did the grunt work of getting it uploaded. She was thrilled not to have to do it, but have it done and I was happy to help.
Happy Planning!
-Melissa
www.MoonriverWeddings.com
What I think about them: I think they are a great way to communicate all the vital and not so vital wedding information to your friends, family and guests. It's a great tool for lazy or really busy brides, plus, it's fun! As well, you don't have to keep rattling off all the same data to all the interested parties - you can send out a mass email and direct them to Info Central, saving you time in the long run. You can put directions, registry, things to do, places to stay etc on there and keep those details out of the invitation (except to your computer illiterate guests, like Grandma Fran), thereby saving you postage and your friends and family the trouble of finding that too tiny map that slipped out of the invitation and under their couch. Please note, I did say registry. I know, I know I recently condemned declaring your registry...but that was in the invitation. And, although some may consider it borderline, I think the website is a happy medium. If you're hesitant to list your registry, you can at least list those in your wedding party (and contact information for them - if you can keep their emails private) so that guests know who to ask for registry information. It's also a lot of fun for the bride to share her thoughts, plans, choices, feelings, pictures and everything else! Instead of talking your friends to death, you can post and upload to your heart's content (someone is ALWAYS interested! Even if it is only Great-Aunt Jeanne).
The best method: I truly believe it's a preference. The Knot has the functionality, as does The Wedding Channel and several other resource sites. They seem pretty easy and straight forward. Your choices of customization are small, but honestly, it's your wedding website, not your invitations! And, they are free! There is also the "newest thang" of paying for your wedding website, there's tons of places out there, like ewedding.com that charge you for a year's worth of hosting - about $5-10 per month. Some nice perks with these, like picking your own ".com" name - i.e. SarahJaneandRobertMichaelWedding.com; uploading files for guests and wedding party; additional customizations (backgrounds, background music, pictures, links), etc. It's like opening your wedding notebook to the world...if you want anyway.
What to put in them: A word of caution - whatever you post to the internet becomes very public. That seems like a very obvious comment, but you'd be surprised by what people put out on their websites, thinking no one else is really looking. Believe me, they are! So do try to keep some anonymity and certainly don't post any information that you want to keep private in any way. With that caution in mind, be creative! These days you may have friends and family spread across the country, or world even and many may have never met your significant-O - so let them get to know him/her though the website. Let people know how you got engaged, your wedding plans, information for guests (maps, directions, etc), wedding event information (showers, etc), and pictures! Posting where you are registered, as I mentioned above it ok.
I'd like to have one, but I don't have the time....or I am computer illiterate...or I hate this kind of stuff...
Have your bridal consultant do it for you! Honestly! I set up a website on The Knot for one of my clients - she gave me all the information (much of I knew and had developed for her anyway) and I did the grunt work of getting it uploaded. She was thrilled not to have to do it, but have it done and I was happy to help.
Happy Planning!
-Melissa
www.MoonriverWeddings.com
posted by Melissa | 9:06 PM
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