When it comes to wedding planning, it’s safe to say your to-do list can pile up in a hurry and possibly even start to seem a little overwhelming. From taste testing different caterers to touring venues and plenty other items, there is going to be some work to do! Another item on this list (that is definitely worth considering) is a WEDDING WEBSITE. As you could likely guess, leaning on technology can definitely help streamline the entire wedding planning process. Simply put, there are so many tools at our disposal that it makes perfect sense to take advantage of them to ensure your process is as stress-free as possible.

In this week’s blog post, we’re going to take a deeper look at wedding websites. We’ll discuss whether or not you truly need one for your wedding, why some of our past couples have loved utilizing them and plenty more! However, before we get started, we would like to welcome any new visitors to our blog. Located just north of Houston, Madera Estates is a Spanish and European inspired luxury wedding venue. Here at Madera, our goal has always revolved around making the entire wedding experience seamless and eliminating any unneeded stress for our couples. With that being said, let’s now take a look at wedding websites and help you decide if one could help simplify your wedding planning!

What is a Wedding Website?

Wedding websites certainly aren’t anything brand new in 2021 and chances are you’ve attended weddings before that utilized them leading up to the big day. At their core, wedding websites are designed to serve as a resource where couples can share important information and details with their guests. To add to it, once you start looking around for wedding website builders, you’ll notice there’s no shortage of platforms to use. In other words, you’re not going to have to learn how to code to build your website! 

So…why do so many couples LOVE using this tool in their wedding planning?

Organization

At the start of this blog, I briefly alluded to how wedding planning can be a little stressful and even overwhelming when you realize how many items can be on the to-do list. While there’s certainly plenty of ways you’ll be able to simplify this (including considering an all-inclusive venue), a wedding website is yet another tool that almost always helps alleviate some stress. Depending on the wedding website builder you choose, you’ll have the opportunity to send out notifications digitally, track RSVP’s, link your registry and even create your overall guest list. While you don’t need to necessarily do all of these things through your wedding website, it doesn’t hurt to know these extra tools are available!

All in all, as you go through the planning process, you’ll quickly realize organization is essential to keep everything moving smoothly and wedding websites are terrific at keeping everything in one place!

Consistent Theme

Do you already have a theme or color palette in mind for your big day? If so, wouldn’t it be cool if your wedding website could match that general vibe? Fortunately, with plenty of website builders out there, you’ll have no trouble finding a template that matches your wedding theme. Even down to the actual fonts, you’ll surely have the ability to make sure everything blends together perfectly!

Last Minute Changes

If the past year-and-a-half has taught us anything, it’s to always be prepared for unexpected circumstances! After all, who could’ve predicted a global pandemic shutting the country down for this long? Aside from the extreme with a pandemic, there could be road construction on the highway, potential curveballs from the weather and so on. Many of the website builders (including The Knot’s platform) allow you to message your guests online to keep them posted on any last-minute changes. While you don’t necessarily go into the wedding planning process expecting these to pop up, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Digital RSVP’s

There’s no denying that traditional, physical RSVP mailers have been a staple in the wedding industry for decades! Nonetheless, it’s also no surprise that more and more couples are transitioning to using digital RSVP’s. While it’s obviously exciting seeing your RSVP cards gradually trickle in, it does require some work on your end to keep up with them (another item on your to-do list). Not to mention, there’s always the risk of people forgetting to return them or even RSVP’s getting lost in the mail. All of these reasons have made a strong case for digital RSVP’s and has possibly convinced some couples to switch over. Referencing The Knot’s website builder that was mentioned above, many wedding websites also allow for a seamless digital RSVP process.

Before we continue on to the next point though, we can’t ignore the fact that you’ll likely have a few guests that aren’t the best with technology. If you know this may be true with some people on your guest list, it may be wise to even consider a mixture of the two. 

Perfect Place for the Most Important Details

We’ve briefly hinted at this a few times already, but one of the more prevalent purposes of a wedding website is to share the most important details for the big day. Time, location, dress code, transportation, lodging and any other relevant events are all potential details to include. Remember, your wedding website should be a “resource” for your guests.

Registry Information

It’s not uncommon for people to say it’s against proper wedding etiquette to include registry information on a wedding invitation. While this is a well-known opinion, most people would agree that a wedding website is the perfect place to include all of this registry information. You’ll be able to just include links there to the various registries you may have. This will even make the shopping experience that much easier for your guests too, so it really is a win-win!

Plenty of Builders Out There!

Last, but certainly not least, a major reason for getting a wedding website is how easy (and affordable) it can be to set up. Like I mentioned above, you don’t need to be a website coder to get a professional and easy-to-maneuver wedding website up and running in 2021. Your options can essentially be split up into two categories:

• Wedding-Specific Websites – If you do some quick research, you’ll notice many of the major wedding-related websites have their own builders. We referenced The Knot above, but you can also throw in Wedding Wire and Joy, amongst others. These tend to be built solely for weddings, so you should have all of the tools ready to go right away without having to install additional plugins or extensions.
• Non Wedding-Specific Websites – Do you have some free time on your hands, enjoy having more customization abilities and are pretty tech-savvy? If this is you and you’re struggling to find something you love with the options above, then it may be time to consider a platform like Squarespace, WordPress or Wix. Keep in mind that while you’ll potentially have more customization options available with these, the actual building process will likely take longer and many of these won’t have some of the wedding-specific tools that’ll surely be useful.

In the end, it’s up to you on where you’d like to build your website, but the good news is that you have no shortage of options!

Still Searching for Your Venue?

No matter if you already have a wedding website built or are considering one for your special day, we hope this blog helps educate you on some of the various benefits they can create. At a time when things can get a little hectic, wedding websites are terrific tools to make both your lives easier, as well as your guest’s. On a separate note, another item that will be on every couple’s to-do list and should probably be knocked out early on in the planning process is selecting your dream wedding venue.

As mentioned above, our venue (Madera Estates) is located in Conroe, just north of Houston and The Woodlands. Here at Madera, our goal truly is to turn your dream wedding into a reality, while still making the entire process as stress-free as possible. We understand you have plenty on your plate and take pride in keeping things straightforward. If you’re interested in seeing the venue in-person, we encourage you to book a private tour. You’ll have the opportunity to view the property, and meet with a member of our team to discuss pricing, packages and availability. In addition, our gallery highlights the various spaces that make up Madera Estates. Check it out by clicking HERE. And as always, you’re free to give us a call directly at (936) 441-9337. Happy wedding planning!