A wedding website has one job: to answer your guests' questions before they have to ask you. Good ones are short, accurate and easy to read on a phone. This checklist sorts everything into three groups, so you can start with what matters and stop when you have enough.
The must-haves
These are the details guests look for first. If any of them is missing, someone will text you to ask.
| Detail | Why guests need it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Your names | So guests know they opened the right link | Clara & Julian |
| The date | Written out in full, never as 06/12/27 | Saturday, June 12, 2027 |
| Ceremony time | Guests plan travel around it | 4:00 PM |
| Time zone | Essential when guests travel or the wedding is abroad | Pacific Time (PT) |
| Venue and address | For maps, taxis and hotel searches | The Willow Grove Estate, Napa, California |
| Map link | One tap from the website to directions | A Google Maps or Apple Maps link |
| Schedule | So guests know when to arrive and how long it lasts | Ceremony 4:00, cocktails 5:00, dinner 6:30 |
| RSVP and deadline | The one action you need from every guest | Reply by May 15, 2027 |
Helpful extras
Add these if they apply to your wedding. Each one saves you a handful of messages.
- Your story. A short intro and a few photos with captions. Keep it light; guests enjoy it, but they come for the details.
- Travel and stay. Nearby hotels, any room block and its booking deadline, the nearest airport, parking and shuttle times.
- Dress code. One or two words and a sentence of explanation, such as "Garden formal: suits or dresses; the ceremony is on grass."
- Registry link. One link on its own section, not repeated on every page. Etiquette guides such as the Emily Post Institute advise against putting the registry front and center.
- Questions and answers. Children, plus-ones, parking, accessibility, what happens if it rains, whether there is a vegetarian option.
- Add to calendar. A button that puts the date, time and venue straight into a guest's calendar.
- Countdown. A small, friendly touch; optional.
Our guide on wedding website wording has example text for each of these sections.
What not to put on a public website
Your website link travels further than you think: guests forward it, screenshots get shared, and some websites can show up in search results. Leave these off.
- Your home address, or the address where gifts should be sent. Ask the guests who need it privately.
- Children's names and photos, unless you are sure everyone involved is comfortable with it.
- Details of private events not everyone is invited to, such as the rehearsal dinner. Guests who see them may think they are invited.
- Anything intimate. Website templates sometimes prompt for very personal stories. You do not have to share them with your whole guest list.
- Guest names or reply lists. Replies should only be visible to you.
- Exact times you will be away from home, such as a honeymoon departure date next to your address.
If your platform offers it, check whether your website is shown to search engines and choose what suits you. For most couples, a website that only guests with the link can find is the calmer choice.
Practical notes guests are grateful for
These small details rarely make it onto wedding websites, and they are exactly what guests end up asking about on the day.
- Step-free access. Say whether the ceremony and reception are step-free, and where accessible parking or drop-off is.
- Timing on the day. If the ceremony starts on time, say so, and give an arrival time fifteen to thirty minutes earlier.
- Weather and ground. Grass, gravel, a beach or a long walk from the car park all change what guests wear.
- Food. If you will ask about allergies or meal choices, say where: "Tell us in your RSVP."
- Getting home. Last train times, a taxi number or a shuttle schedule save late-night stress.
- Who to contact on the day. A friend's name and number for questions, so guests do not call you during the ceremony.
Keeping it up to date
A wedding website is never really finished until the wedding. When something changes (a new shuttle time, a hotel block that closes, rain plans), update the website first and then send a short message pointing guests to it. Add the date of the change next to it if it is important, for example: "Updated May 2: the shuttle now leaves at 3:30 PM."
A page-by-page structure that works
Four short pages are easier to read on a phone than one very long page or ten tiny ones.
- Home. Names, date, venue, a one-line welcome, and a clear button to reply. Add to calendar fits well here.
- Our Story. A few photos with short captions and one or two sentences about you.
- Details. The schedule, venue with map, dress code, travel and stay, registry, and questions and answers.
- RSVP. The reply form, your reply-by date and any questions you need answered (meal choice, dietary needs).
This is the structure our designs use, after an envelope or keepsake that opens into the home page. You can see it in any live demo, and the features page lists what each page can hold.
Examples you can adapt
Welcome, warm: "We can't wait to celebrate with you. You'll find everything for the day below, and you can reply on the RSVP page by May 15."
Schedule row, clear: "5:00 PM · Cocktail hour · The Olive Courtyard"
Travel note, practical: "The nearest airport is Sacramento (SMF), about 75 minutes by car. Free parking is available at the venue."
FAQ answer, kind but firm: "Can I bring a guest? We've included everyone we can on your invitation. Thank you for understanding."
Children, if they are welcome: "Children are very welcome! Let us know their ages when you reply so we can plan seats and meals."
The printable checklist
Copy this list into your notes and tick items off as you add them.
- Names, exactly as you want them shown
- Full date, written in words
- Ceremony time and time zone
- Venue name, address and map link
- Schedule with times
- RSVP form and reply-by date
- Welcome message
- Our story and photos (optional)
- Dress code (optional)
- Travel, hotels and parking (if guests travel)
- Registry link (optional, on its own section)
- Questions and answers
- Add to calendar
- Checked on a phone by someone who does not know the plans
FAQ
How much information should a wedding website have?
Enough to answer the questions guests would otherwise text you: when, where, what to wear, how to get there and how to reply. Four short pages are usually plenty. If a section has nothing useful to say, leave it out rather than filling it.
Should the registry be on the wedding website?
A registry link on the website is widely accepted, and it is better there than on the invitation. Keep it in one place, such as the Details page, rather than on every page, and keep the wording simple.
Do we need an Our Story page?
No, it is optional. Many guests enjoy it, and it makes the website feel personal, but the practical details matter more. If you skip it, a short welcome on the home page is enough.
Should we list who is in the wedding party?
You can, with first names and their role, if everyone is happy to be named. Skip surnames and photos of anyone who prefers not to appear online.