Create an Awesome
Destination Wedding Website!
Creating a personal destination wedding website, that’s what this post is all about!
Are you wondering which one is the best? How to even build one? Or what information to put on it that will inform and excite your guests?
Keep reading to find the answers to all these questions and more.
Jump to each section
- Review of our favorite destination & beach themed website
- Why you should create a personal website
- How to create your own DW website
- What info should you put on your website?
Why launch a destination wedding website?
Planning a destination wedding requires a lot of organization and coordination with your friends and family. The last thing you want is to let them fend for themselves – a sure recipe for disaster!
- A destination wedding website is the best way to keep everyone updated on all the travel and wedding info.
- All you have to do is find a site you like, plug in some info and update it anytime you have new info to share. It’s very easy, in some cases free, and your guests will appreciate the easy access to ongoing updates and communication.
- It’s also the most efficient way to collect RSVPs because you’ll receive an email notice every time someone replies. You can manage your list online and track RSVPs 24/7. No postage, no extra paper to keep track of. Its that simple!
- Your destination wedding website is also a fantastic (and probably the best way) to build excitement about the trip and introduce your guests to each other so that they won’t feel like complete strangers when they reach the destination.
How to build a destination wedding website?
There are many programs available online that are very easy to use. They come with pre-set templates that you just need to fill in with your content and photos for a complete site in just minutes.
You can edit and preview your site before it goes live. You’ll get a URL which will link directly to your page. You can even make your site private so only people with a password can access it.
What is the best destination wedding website?
Although there aren’t many dedicated destination wedding websites, there are some general website programs that have destination wedding or beach themes, or are just better suited for non-traditional weddings because they’re more customizable.
Here are my favorites:
Wedsite.com
I have to admit Wedsite is my absolute favorite of them all, because it lends itself perfectly to a destination wedding.
What I love about their designs, is that they look like photo books that your guests can flip through to see helpful info about your wedding and destination.
On each page you can put useful info such as your engagement story, travel details, itinerary, a map, and lots of photos. You can even embed videos!
With all those photos, videos and helpful info, there’s no doubt your guests will get excited about the trip:)
When your guests first visit your site, it will look as if the book is lying on top of a coffee table with photos scattered all around it.
The overall look and feel of this site is stunning, incredibly unique and they have a handful of beach and destination wedding website themes. You can even change your background/design as many times as you want to keep things fresh and exciting.
Here’s a rundown of some of the really cool features I loved about this site and why I think it’s the best website for destination weddings:
- You have the option to insert Google Maps with driving directions so that your guests know exactly how to get to your destination.
- You can set up multiple RSVP’s for different events. This is a lifesaver if you need to track RSVP’s for a welcome cocktail/brunch, reception dinner or excursions at your destination.
- An up to the second countdown clock reminding your guests that the clock-is-a-ticking and they better book that trip:)
- You can upload an unlimited number of photos to get everyone excited about the location.
- Did I mention the videos? Yes, I did, but it’s worth repeating because it’s a really cool feature. You can embed youtube videos right on one of the pages so that your guests can see how awesome your wedding location is going to be.
I can go on and on about it but you really have to see for yourself:)
Click here to check out a demo.
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Mywedding.com
Mywedding has a much simpler and basic layout. But what makes them a good option is the matching invitations you can purchase for a cohesive look. They also have a few beach or destination wedding website design themes and a blog to keep your friends/family updated on your plans.
Momentville.com
When I got married, I had not yet stumbled accross Wedsite, so I opted to use Momentville. I liked them, because although they don’t have a ton of destination wedding website designs, you can completely customize your entire background by simply uploading a picture of your location.
They have a free basic package which includes a decent selection of pre-designed templates, and some basic tools. The downside of the free version is that it has ads and although only you can see them, it can get pretty annoying to you as a user.
The paid version is ad-free and a lot more robust. Aside from all the basic features youll find on other sites, they also have a pretty cool budget planner that lets you adjust your budget based on the number of people who have RSVPd.
Your website never expires and you can allow your guests to upload their photos after the wedding so you can have them all in one place. You also receive email alerts anytime someone RSVPs or posts something to your guestbook.
Paid or Free?
Whether you choose to build a free site, or pay a fee to create one depends on your preferences. Free sites usually come with basic designs for you to choose from and some of them have ads on the page.
A paid site is a much better option for you if youre the type of person who prefers more elaborate designs/backgrounds that you can personalize and customize (with photos of your specific destination, your monogram or something more creative.) An added plus is that you won’t have to see any annoying ads with a premium or paid version. When I got married I chose to pay for a more premium design because I wanted to personalize it in a way you can’t with free sites.
What info should I put on my destination wedding website?
The sky is really the limit when it comes to the content you can put on your site. Just think of any information that would help everyone get to your destination wedding and would make them want to go.
Here are some ideas…
- Your stories: Write a short paragraph about how you met, why you decided to tie the knot abroad and why having your loved ones travel the distance to witness your love will mean so much to you.
- Travel Info: Include links for booking group travel, information on how to obtain passports, as well as airline or hotel discount promo codes/links.
- Lots and lots of PHOTOS: Don’t just include photos of each other. Go further by uploading pics of the country/city, your resort, and a slide show of all your guests (they will be flattered and the other faces will be familiar when they all finally meet).
- About your Locale: Go to the locations tourism site and put some of that info on your personal destination wedding website. Include photos, things to do, attractions, and anything else that will make this trip appealing to your friends/family.
- Itinerary: Include info on when and where the ceremony and reception will take place.
- Pre-wedding event invitations: Include details of welcome reception, rehearsal dinner, excursions or any other pre/post-wedding event
- Music: Upload a song that is meaningful to you so that it can play in the background. And ask guests to make song suggestions for the reception.
- RSVP Collection: Add an option to collect rsvp’s directly through the website but also include your email address and phone number.
- Guestbook: A page for your loved ones to share their thoughts and wishes.
- Dress Code: People are usually confused or unsure of what to wear to a destination wedding. This website is your opportunity to communicate your preference.
- Registry Info: This is optional and completely up to your discretion but if you have one, your personal website (not invitations) is the best place to include a link to your registry.
