How to make a wedding website, step by step

01Step 1: Choose where to build it

Wedding platforms such as Zola and Joy are free and include RSVPs and a guest list. General builders such as Squarespace or Wix give more design control but leave RSVPs to a form. The best wedding website builder compares the options; if you are unsure, start on a free wedding platform, since you can always point a custom domain at something else later.

02Step 2: Gather the details first

Most of the time goes into decisions, not the website. Before you pick a template, write down the facts guests will ask about. Having them in one document makes the site quick to build and keeps every page consistent.

• Ceremony and reception: date, start times, venue names and full addresses.
• Other events: welcome drinks, rehearsal dinner, brunch, and who is invited to each.
• Dress code, in plain words ("cocktail: suits and dresses, no need for black tie").
• Travel: nearest airports, hotel blocks with booking codes and deadlines, parking.
• RSVP deadline, meal choices and whether plus-ones and children are invited.
• Registry links, or a line saying you do not want gifts.

03Step 3: Build the pages

Keep the structure small. A single scrolling page works for most weddings; separate pages help when you have many events or a lot of travel information. One-page vs multi-page websites explains the trade-off.

1. 1HomeYour names, the date, the city and one button: RSVP. Add a photo you both like.
2. 2ScheduleEach event with time, place, dress code and a map link.
3. 3Travel and stayHow to get there, where to stay, and booking deadlines.
4. 4FAQThe questions people will otherwise text you; wedding website FAQ examples has wording to borrow.
5. 5RSVPNames, attendance per event, meal choice and dietary needs, with the deadline.
6. 6Our story (optional)Short. Guests skim it; your families read it closely.

04Step 4: Set up RSVPs properly

On wedding platforms, import your guest list first so RSVPs match real invitations. Joy, for example, says guests do not need an email address or an account to RSVP. Decide how you handle plus-ones before you import: naming them on the list prevents surprise guests.

On a general builder, use a form with required fields for name, attendance and meal choice, and send responses to a spreadsheet. Test it yourself with a fake guest before anyone else sees it.

05Step 5: Check it, then share it

Open the site on your phone and on an older relative's phone. Tap every map link, try the RSVP, and read the dates out loud against your contracts. Then decide on privacy: most platforms offer a password, and whether a wedding website should be private covers the trade-offs.

Joy recommends launching the site when you send your save-the-dates, about six to eight months before the wedding, so it is ready when the cards arrive. Print the address on the save-the-dates and invitations; a short custom domain is easier to type than a long platform address.