So much goes on when you’re organising a wedding, it’s hard to keep track of everything. One solution we like is to create your own wedding website, and it’s not as hard as it sounds.

Apart from helping with your wedding planning, wedding websites can also be great for including friends and family who aren’t able to attend the event itself. They can see what you’re going to be doing and share in the event afterwards, especially if your wedding was an intimate occasion abroad.

Most of the free wedding website builders are very easy to use, where no programming skills are even necessary.

Ways you can make the most of a personalised wedding website include:

• Get everyone involved in the excitement, from the build-up and planning, to posting wedding photos after the big day itself
• Create a to-do-list
• Keep track of all correspondence with your suppliers, such as florists and the wedding venue
• Share your gift list and update it as offers are received
• Update the guest list as you receive RSVPs to your invitations
• Post directions to the church or venue, and to the reception
• Include suggestions for accommodation, or details on how to book rooms at the venue
• Have a page for the timings on the day, so that everyone knows where to be and when
• Post suggestions to help everyone join in your chosen theme, whether that’s colour             selections, dress styles or fun items for the evening celebrations
• Plan seating for the wedding breakfast
• Keep track of the budget, to ensure your enthusiastic spending isn’t running away with you 

Which features should you look for?

There are many free website builders available and it’s mainly a question of choosing the one that suits you best. Some features you might look for include:

• A range of design templates where you can choose colours, logos and other options to create something that is unique to you as a couple
• The possibility of using your own domain name, such as www.MrandMrsBlushingBride.com
• An online guest book, where photos and messages can be posted
• Password protected areas, so that you only make public those pages that you really want the whole world to see.

Things to check when choosing a wedding website:

• How long does your website remain active after the wedding? If you use a free wedding     website creator, there might be a limit. If you want to keep it forever, you might have to pay for hosting and do it yourself.
• Are there additional costs for some features?
• Is the website easy to use or will it take up more time than it saves?
• Does the free website include advertising – and if so, does it detract from what you’re         creating?

Suggested paid and free wedding website offerings*

Getting Married [http://www.gettingmarried.co.uk/?gclid=CJy62bv1tsQCFUnLtAodhxgAYg]

Bride Magazine’s Wedding Site [http://www.weddingsite.co.uk/tools/personal-website]

Wix [http://www.wix.com/html5webbuilder/wedding-lp?]

The Knot [https://www.theknot.com/gs/wedding-websites]

Worldwide Wedding [http://www.worldwidewedding.com]

Have you used a wedding website for your marriage? We’d love to hear all about it. If you’re in the early stages of planning your own wedding and would like advice, please call our friendly wedding planners, who would be delighted to share their experience with you.

* not necessarily endorsed by Clevedon Hall