The tendency to create a wedding invitation web site grows. Here are some tips on how to make one for your wedding.
Option 1
There are platforms in which you can register. There you can create a web site with few information pages. You can add a contact form, which your guests will use to confirm their presence.
Advantages: there are free platform options.
Disadvantages: limited functionalities, limited domain names, limited designs.
Option 2
You can ask a professional web developer to do it. In this case the disadvantage is the price. But the design will definitely be better, because it can be customised just for you. The only functionality limitation is your imagination, the time you take to create it and the existing technologies. Here are a few suggestions for functionalities you can ask to be developed.
1. Personalised electronic invitations
The site in its main essence is information and functionalities. You can make your guests feel special, but sending them personalised electronic invitations with their names. There are a few options to do this. Most often 2 of them are used. The first is to create a separate file with electronic invitation for each of the guests. The second is to create a database with the names of the guests. You then send a personalised link to each guest and when the site reads the specific url request, it shows a specific guest name on the invitation template. This option saves you a lot of time.
2. Contact form, where guests can confirm their presence
Instead of remembering what you talked with each of your 120 guests, ask them to fill the contact form on your web site. In that way you have a list of all confirmed guests in just a few clicks. It is important that the form has field validation (required fields etc), so that you do not have wrong data. You can ask your developer to make the system, so that when someone fills in the form, he/she receives and email with confirmation and/or thank you note. You can also ask for functionality that sends you an email whenever someone fills in the form.
3. Option to add an event in your Google Calendar
If your guests have Google Calendar app of their phone, you can add this functionality. It is simple. Your guest signs up their email on your web site and the program of the wedding is automatically shared on their calendar. You can break down the program into several elements. Example: You create one event for the ceremony, another event for the first dance, another for the cake etc. This way you can save money from hiring a coordinator, because all your guests will have that information on their phones.
4. Option to choose menu or list allergies in the contact form
To avoid grumpy people on your wedding, you can ask them to choose from 1-3 types of menus and list their allergies, so that no one is rushed to the hospital.
5. Option to list any small children
Sometimes your guests come with small children, who can’t fill the form by themselves. So add an option to add their children’s names, age, menu choice and food allergies.
6. Option to choose a group and add this to a table
Overall guests can be divided into several groups. There are the family of the bride and groom, family friends, friends of the bride and groom etc. You can ask them to select which group they belong to through a dropdown menu. Then according to their choice the algorithm can place them to a certain table in the restaurant. You can also have a dynamic map of the tables in the restaurant. This will save you time to arrange the guests and your guests will easily find their way into the restaurant.
7. Gift register or online transfer
You can list your gift register online and help your guest buy you a present without the need to go outside. These gifts could be directly send to your address, so you don’t have to hire someone to move the gifts on the day of the wedding. This saves you time and money.
You can implement an online payment. Many countries have the tradition of giving not gift, but money to the new family. Implementing an online payment would help both sides. Your guests would have to worry about carrying cash in them and you wouldn’t worry about where to keep all this newly acquired money on your wedding day.
8. Functionality to book a room in the hotel
Most brides find a restaurant with hotel and arrange a preferential prices for the guests of the wedding. You can order a functionality that makes a reservation to this hotel, by sending an email message to the hotel’s reception with the name and number of nights your guests will be staying. This message will be structured in a way that the receptionist knows this reservation came from your guest and will give them the preferential prices you arranges in the first place. This functionality could be integrated with the online payment, so that your guests can pay for their stay in advance.
9. Functionality for guests to upload pictures
You can choose how to structure this functionality. These images could be in the section “News around the preparation”. Or they could be cool pictures your friends have and want to send you for the wedding presentation. They can upload pictures with their wishes, with which you can an e-wedding book. Or they can upload pictures of themselves that you can use to create the wedding favours.
10. Uploading a video showing the relationship timeline of the couple or the most important people at the wedding
Romantic videos, made by beautiful and funny pictures, are not for everyone’s taste. But if you haven’t got the time to tell your store to most of your guests, a video might help you with that.
On each wedding there is a group of guests, that play essential role, and these are the best man and the maid of honour. It would be nice to introduce them with a short information about them. If images and text are not enough, you can upload a video about them.
11. Google Maps Integration for different events and virtual walk inside the restaurant
Google Maps Integration is something pretty standard when developing a web site. Their integration is quick and easy. If you integrate a map on your web site, your guests can see the exact location on the map. And if they open it through their mobile phones, there is an option to navigate directly in they have the Google Maps App installed.
If a guest wishes to organise a surprise for you, which is related to the physical space on the restaurant, you can add a virtual walk of it on your website.
12. Uploading the wedding photos afterwards
To save time, instead of sending the pictures to every guest separately, just upload them to the gallery of your website. Add an option do download them directly from there.
If you wish to have a wedding invitation web site – just call us and we will make it happen!