When it comes to wedding websites, there are two things to keep in mind.
First up, wedding websites serve as a place where you can answer everyone’s questions (without, you know, having to personally answer everyone’s questions). So when you’re planning a wedding in a pandemic, with a million variables and a million questions, getting a simple wedding set up really early can save you a lot of heartbreak.
Second, wedding websites are one thing not burdened with the weight of tradition and etiquette, which means you can do pretty much whatever you want with it, without any complaints. You can get wild and creative, or keep it simple. You can get super detailed and write a bunch of info about your love story, or go streamlined. It can be photo-based or text-driven. It is up to you. And hey, it’s 2021—just getting up a wedding website with the key information is really what matters (steal this wording, to make it extra simple)… the rest is just the cherries on top.
There is one thing that, if I’m invited to your wedding, I really really want you to have. In fact, this goes double in a pandemic, where there is a good chance I’m going to need to log on to some virtual parties. I want you to have an easy URL that I can remember.
I know, I know, it’s so easy to sign up for bigweddingbrand.co/sallyandkimswedding12182021. It’s also fun to get quirky and sign up for a totally-obscure-slightly-misspelled-cute-phrase (plenty of time for that with a hashtag). But then you know what happens? Your cousin is rushing around getting her kids dressed and ready for your Zoom wedding ceremony, and can’t quite remember where to log-on, and they’ve lost the invite, and now they’re panicking yelling, “OMG, WHAT WAS THAT WEBSITE? WAS IT ZOOM OR GOOGLE? AHHHHH! THE CEREMONY STARTS IN THREE MINUTES!” (Also… I am your cousin in this situation. In fact, me and another human currently employed by this website RECENTLY WERE THESE COUSINS AT A FAMILY WEDDING, and that evening involved panicked texting back and forth about what the link was, and what the time was, and why didn’t they have a wedding website URL we remembered OMFG.)
Which, fine. That’s annoying for your cousin (AKA me), but it’s okay for you because you’re busy getting married. But here is something that probably is more important to you: your cousin (AKA me) buying you a present. I mean, obviously, you act like you don’t care, but between the two of us, I know you want that Kitchen Aid with the breadmaking attachments so you can make bread out of your pandemic sourdough starter.
Photo by: Mkaye Photography from this real COVID wedding
Why you should snag a custom wedding website url
Let me tell you a true story. I am always running late for weddings. I once ran into a friend’s wedding in New Orleans as the bride was starting to walk down the aisle. (In my defense: we couldn’t catch the streetcar in time, and the wedding started exactly at the time on the invite, not 15 minutes later like is civilized.) BUT I DIGRESS. Basically: I spent hours planning my outfit and hair, and then realized that I forgot to double-check where the wedding was, how long it was going to take to get there, etc. And if I don’t have an easy way to find that information, it’s bad. (And yes, I still plan my outfits and hair for Zoom weddings, and I still forget how long it’s going to take to log-on.) So please, from the bottom of my heart: get an easy to remember wedding URL, so disorganized people like me can have all of the information at their fingertips at the last minute… and get you a good gift.
The good news is this: while wedding planning in 2021 is a confusing and stressful mess, getting your wedding URL is one thing you can do today, check off your list, and feel accomplished. And as a URL collector (it’s true) I can tell you that the sooner you buy a URL, the better chance there is of getting the exact one you want.
So, go snag yourselves an easy-to-remember URL for your wedding website. It’s five minutes and you should do it while you’re thinking about it—because it will slip your mind and land at the bottom of the long list of to-dos you have. You can build the actual website later (and honestly, you can do it in an evening). But, go snap up a solid URL while it’s still available. (Trust me on this. I own more URLs “just in case” than any single human should.) Our friends at Squarespace have not only made it super easy andclear to snag a domain, but it’s also pretty damn fun, with their claim your domain tool.
What makes a good wedding website URL?
- Keep it easy for people to remember.
- Use only your first names, if possible. (Unless your last name(s) are easily remembered and spelled.)
- If that’s not possible or right for you, go with something that’s simple to remember. And for goodness sake, do not spell it incorrectly in an attempt to be clever.
- Feel free to add the year, but not the whole date (since people tend to forget dates).
- If you can get a .com domain, do it.
- If you use a vanity top-level domain, go with something obvious like .wedding or .love, if you can.
Here’s how easy Squarespace makes it: Type any combo of names or words into the domain name search and voila, you’re given a list to choose from. You’ll automatically be shown if a domain is available and what the cost is, so you don’t have to guess. Choose from top-level domains like .com, .org, or .me for $20 per year, or go a little fancier and use vanity options like .wedding or .love for $50 per year.
The other reason I’m a firm believer in a domain name search is that you can convert your wedding website into a family photo-sharing site, or blog. It’s a cute way to show off your wedding photos or video and to let folks watch a replay of your live stream ceremony.
Photo by: Katy Weaver from this real COVID wedding
Squarespace is the place for custom wedding websites and URLs
So why Squarespace? Well, for one, because they are the one-stop-shop that makes it super easy for you to nab your own (easy-to-remember) domain.
And if that isn’t reason enough, they also win on pretty much every other category: You don’t need to be a coding expert to set up a website. They’ve got fresh, modern templates for every style (translation: no cheesy graphics). They have awesome features like Google Maps and registry integration, right into the website (you can even set up your own cash registry!) Plus, they’re a long, long time partner of ours, we love building websites there, and we really love their amazing team. (So getting your website there is an easy way to support APW during these turbulent times for small businesses.)
Plus, pro-tip: Check out some previous posts with step-by-step wedding website creation, and info about what to put (and omfg, what not to ever put) on a website, so you’re covered.
Photo by: 4JoyMedia of Alyssa & Trisha
So, where were we? Oh right. You were taking this moment while you were thinking about it to grab your own, easy-to-remember URL. Website building, and the rest of wedding planning, can come later. And yup. We’ll be here to help you every step of the way.
CLICK nab your own (easy-to-remember) domain TO Get your domain today and START A FREE 14-DAY SQUARESPACE TRIAL. APW READERS GET 10% OFF YOUR FIRST SQUARESPACE PURCHASE WHEN YOU USE THE CODE APW AT CHECKOUT—and, you can get that custom domain URL for free with an annual Squarespace website purchase.
This post was sponsored by Squarespace. Squarespace makes beautiful wedding websites happen in a matter of minutes with killer custom domains, thanks to their user-friendly software (I mean, check out this huge feature list), and modern, minimal template designs. Click here to start a free 14-day trial and make your wedding website today. APW readers get 10% off your first Squarespace purchase when you use the code APW at checkout.
