We reviewed the top wedding websites recommended by wedding officiants & wedding planners, from The Knot Wedding Registry to DIY WIX sites

 

 

After deciding to get married, the second most important decision (in our humble opinion) is: Who will be the wedding officiant?

 

But once that’s out of the way, there are other important decisions to make -- like where to host your wedding website! This is an important decision, because after you announce your wedding date, your guests will probably have a million questions... 

 

But you've got a wedding to plan! 

 

You don’t want to spend hours answering questions about what to wear, when to show up, how to RSVP, if kids are invited, etc., from a hundred different guests -- potentially coming from a hundred different places, near and far. Plus, it’s 2021! We’re getting all our other information from our phones and computers, so why not get our wedding details that way too?

 

Although you probably already know this by now, a wedding website allows you to put all of your wedding details -- like your registry information, ceremony and reception location, and RSVPs -- all in one place. It’s also a place for you to tell your love story to folks that don’t know you so well.

 

Some sites are free, but others will charge a fee. If you're not sure whether a fee is worth it, consider what Carly Schwans, an experienced officiant and wedding planner based in Fort Lauderdale, Floriday, had to say:

 

“I recommend figuring out what your budget is going to be for the website. Some cost a fee, others are free, but the couples I’ve worked with often found that the premium add-ons are worth it.”

 

A small amount of money can go a long way in turning a 'good' wedding website into an amazing wedding website. This will be the first interaction your guests have with your wedding, so look for features you find engaging, visually appealing, and (most importantly) useful.

 

 

Which wedding website and registry is best? 

 

With so many website providers to choose from, it's hard to know where to start. That's why we did the research for you! We talked to our ministers who also happen to be experienced wedding planners, and used their input to compile this detailed guide to help you choose a wedding website. 

 

Keep in mind: There really isn’t a one-size-fits all website. Your choice will depend on how much time, energy, functionality, and money, you want to dedicate to this part of your wedding.

...

 

Seven wedding websites that our ministers use and recommend, listed in no particular order. 

 

 

 

• The Knot 

 

The Knot offers a free package ( or you can purchase a custom domain for $20) with over 160 beautifully designed templates. Their site comes with a myriad of planning tools and also syncs to all of your registries.

 

It's one of the most well-rounded and popular free wedding website services around. The Knot wedding registry is obviously one of the biggest in the industry, and a lot of wedding service providers and vendors use it as well.

 

 

• WeddingWire

 

WeddingWire has some pretty awesome features, and offers easy-to-use wedding website templates. Their service is free with an option to purchase a custom domain for around $13.

 

There are over 400 template options to choose from and their website integrates well with other digital planning tools. Pages can also be hidden or password protected. Although there are many templates to choose from, we found that a lot of their choices lack the “wow” factor. They do, however, offer the essentials that a wedding website needs (just without the flare).

If you want a good selection of functionality, and you don’t mind paying a few extra bucks to get the look you really want, this option is a good choice.

 

(Did you know? WeddingWire merged with The Knot in 2018, when the site was purchased for a whopping $933 million, creating one of the biggest media and planning companies in the wedding world!)

 

 

Screenshot of website templates from the Wedding Wire's website

 

 

 

• Squarespace

You probably didn’t think of Squarespace as a “wedding website” but it’s actually one of the more versatile options! 

 

If you're a techy or into design and want customization, this is your best choice short of coding your own site. The customization is very intuitive and your site will look professional. You can even have it password protected if you wish to keep your wedding details hidden from the general public.

 

That said, there are no special features for wedding needs, so setting up RSVP and registry features can be a bit of a challenge, unless you're tech savvy and know some workarounds. There are also features you won’t really need, like e-commerce and blogging (in less you want to give guests a weekly update or play-by-play on the planning process).

 

Squarespace offers a month-to-month plan for around $16 per month or $12 per month for 12 months. A custom domain will also set you back around $20 or more. 
 

 

 

• Wix

Wix is more affordable if you're looking for a customizable site. There is a free option, but with that comes a large “Wix” banner at the top of the site. This is your wedding, so you may not want the corporate logos across the top. 

 

There's a premium service for around $10 per month, which comes with a free custom domain. The layouts are eye catching, and the drag and drop layout is easy to use. You can password-protect your whole site, or just specific pages (like your RSVPs, or pages with the venue address listed). It does, however, lack guest list tools and registry features, so this is best suited for couples with web development experience.    

 

 

Screenshot of Wix's website building tools

  

 

• Riley & Grey

This service is geared toward couples that want a truly elegant looking website. Everything is highly customizable with numerous features -- including the option for guests to submit song requests for your reception playlist!

 

Like most pretty things, this option isn’t cheap (around $35 per month), and it does require a hefty investment of your time to establish your site and its features. But if you're looking for a trendy, beautifully designed wedding site, this is the one that will surely impress.

 

 

Screenshot of Riley & Grey's hipster aesthetic...

 

 

The folks over at Riley & Grey have really dialed up the aesthetic options to, if we dare say it, full hipster singularity. “Wedding websites are just the beginning,” the website says. “Along with digital invitations and an optimized mobile experience, we've curated collaborations with the best bespoke stationers.”

 

What that basically means is that in addition to a full suite of digital and paper planning options, these folks will give visitors the sort of landing page experience you might expect from a hipster media company.

 

All in all, this one is worth checking out, because they seem to have their finger on the pulse of what’s hot in weddings. Even if you don’t go with Riley & Grey, you still might find inspiration. 

 

 

• Appy Couple

If you've ever wanted your own app, your wedding might provide the perfect opportunity to create one! The Appy Couple designs are modern and fun with interactive features.

There are options to RSVP, directly message guests, and even to invite select guests to pre-wedding events.

 

Besides the price (around $49 for the boutique option and around $149 for the luxury service), the biggest drawback is that you're forcing your guests to download another app. Some might jump at the chance, while others will groan or just skip it altogether. So unless you know your guests will be 100% on board with downloading and interacting with your app, this may not be the most worthwhile or cost-effective option for you.

 

 

• Zola

If you're a young couple expecting high-end gifts, you're most likely thinking about using Zola as your registry. Zola also offers an easy-to-set-up wedding website for free, and around $14.95 for a custom domain. The guest list feature is top notch, and you can make any event private, which means only invited guests will see it. 

 

 

Screenshot of Zola's wedding website options

 

 

The downside? There are only around 30 templates, and if you're not using Zola as your registry it can feel quite limiting. And there's no way to integrate with other sites and tools, so your guests are out of luck if they're looking for information about nearby hotels.    

 

...

  

In conclusion, we found aspects of all the sites that appealed to us depending on the feel, tone, and need for additional features.

But rather than directing you to one or another site, we hope that this wedding website summary helped you start thinking about what you want from a wedding website, and where to start looking.

 

 

Let us know what you think! We welcome your input at [email protected]! 

 

 

Updated December 2023

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