What to put on your wedding website, section by section

Start with the essentials

The top of the page should answer three questions without scrolling: who is getting married, when, and where. Your names, the date and the city, plus a clear way to RSVP if invitations have gone out.

The schedule

List every event guests are invited to, with the day, time and place: welcome drinks, ceremony, reception, a farewell brunch. Add an address and a map link for each place, and the dress code if it changes from one event to the next. If some events are only for part of the guest list, keep them off the public page and tell those guests directly.

Travel

For guests coming from out of town: the nearest airports and roughly how long the drive is from each, whether they will need a car, and anything unusual about getting there, like a ferry, a mountain road or limited parking. Keep it short; they can look up flights themselves.

Where to stay

If you have a room block, give the hotel name, the booking link or code, and the date the block closes. Mention one or two alternatives at different prices. If there is a shuttle, say where it leaves from and when.

Dress code

"Cocktail attire" means different things to different people. A sentence of explanation helps: "Suits and cocktail dresses. The ceremony is on grass, so skip the stilettos." If the evening gets cold, say so.

Your story

Optional, and best kept short: how you met, a few photos, maybe who is in the wedding party. Guests enjoy it, but it shouldn't push the practical details further down.

FAQ

Collect the questions people are already asking you and answer them once. The usual ones:

• Are children invited?
• Can I bring a guest?
• Is the venue accessible?
• Will the ceremony be indoors or outdoors?
• Is there parking?
• When should I arrive?
• Can I take photos during the ceremony?

Registry

Link to your registry or honeymoon fund with one friendly line. There's no need to explain it at length.

RSVP

If the website also collects RSVPs, put the button where it is easy to find and repeat the deadline. Ask for an answer for each guest in the party, and only ask the questions you will actually use.

What to leave off

• Home addresses and phone numbers, yours or anyone else's.
• Events that not every guest is invited to.
• Long paragraphs about gifts or plus-ones; one clear sentence is kinder.
• Details you haven't confirmed yet. Add them when they are final.

Privacy

A wedding website shows where you will be on a specific day. If that worries you, use a password and share it only with your guests, or give each guest a personal link.

Quick answers

What should be on a wedding website?

Your names, date and city; the schedule with times and addresses; travel and where to stay; dress code; an FAQ; the registry; and the RSVP with its deadline.

Should a wedding website have a password?

It is a good idea if you'd rather not share the date and place publicly. Share the password, or personal links, only with your guests.

When should the wedding website go live?

When the save the dates go out, so guests have one place to look for travel and hotel details.