The idea of sitting down to write the content for a wedding website is daunting for everyone, even professional writers. Trying to include all the right information, edit out the embarrassing bits – it takes a lot of time and brainspace. But according to Squarespace Business Development Lead Jeremy Schwartz, only a few of these details are really important.
“A good wedding website is going to have utility,” Schwartz. “It’s meant to reflect your personality, and I think where people run into trouble is forgetting that.” To help you put together a top-notch website, we’ve put together a list of the biggest dos and don’ts.
DO make it functional. “A wedding website is the best place to share physical details about the wedding, help people understand where you’re registered and what’s available in your town,” says Schwartz.
DO research other wedding websites. Looking at how other couples played with the formats, tone, storytelling, etc. can help soonlyweds get an idea of what they want for their own websites.
DO include your personality. “There are two types of copy,” says Schwartz. “There’s the functional copy, and then there’s the personal information.” For the functional copy, using the collective voice is often the most appropriate. But for the story of how you met, it’s all about your personal preference. “This is really the gravy.”
DON’T get wordy. “Find the fewest number of impactful words to get the message across,” says Schwartz. “I think it shouldn’t be a record of your entire relationship. Tell the sweetest and shorted parts of your story.”
DON’T leave out information from the paper invite. These details are things that guests must know. Online, you can also add information that wouldn’t look good in script, says Schwartz. This space can include not-so-sexy things like parking information and the answers to FAQs.
Clair McLafferty is a freelance writer, craft bartender and general nerd operating out of Birmingham, Ala. If she’s not mixing up vintage drinks or editing a story, she can usually be found reading cocktail history or science fiction. See more of her work atclairmclafferty.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.