Last Updated on May 19, 2025 by Joy Editors
You might be surprised to learn that wedding website builders provide anywhere from 10 to 601 templates for your big day.
Joy leads the pack with over 600 design options, while Squarespace has just 10 premium templates. Squarespace upgraded their Blueprint AI tool in 2024 to help couples create individual-specific sites. The differences between wedding website platforms go beyond design choices. Platforms like The Knot and WeddingWire are completely free, while others charge up to $39 monthly for premium features.
The best wedding website builder shouldn’t add stress to your wedding planning, regardless of your tech skills. The right platform can revolutionize your guest communication and create a digital keepsake of your celebration. Features like RSVP management and custom domains, which cost about $20 yearly, make this possible.
This piece will guide you through selecting the perfect wedding website builder for your 2025 wedding – and you won’t need any technical expertise!
Why You Need a Wedding Website in 2025
Wedding websites have evolved beyond simple digital invitations to become essential planning tools in 2025. The Knot Real Weddings Study shows that 79% of couples use these websites as their main communication channel with guests. This trend makes perfect sense since these websites make the whole planning process easier for everyone involved.
Keep guests informed and organized
The days of endless phone calls and texts about wedding details are over. Your wedding website works as a central hub where guests can find every detail about your celebration. They can check everything from ceremony times to venue locations whenever they need to—even if they’ve lost their actual invitation.
These websites let you answer common questions upfront, which is a huge time-saver. You won’t need to repeatedly answer questions about dress codes, transportation, or hotel bookings when you have a complete FAQ section on your website. This smart approach helps you avoid what The Knot calls “planxiety” (planning anxiety).
Your guests can check important details on their phones while they’re on the move, without carrying around paper invitations. This feature proves especially helpful for guests coming from out of town who don’t know their way around your wedding location.
Centralize RSVPs, registries, and logistics
Wedding websites really shine when it comes to handling important management tasks in one spot. Online RSVPs have changed the traditional response process in several ways:
- Real-time tracking of responses and automatic updates to your guest list
- Collection of dietary requirements and special requests in one organized system
- Automated reminders for guests who haven’t responded
- Digital RSVPs that save on postage costs and paper waste
Registry management gets much easier too. Your guests won’t need to jump between different store websites because wedding websites can blend various registries into a single page. The Knot, to name just one example, lets couples connect registries from 17 partner sites like West Elm, Williams Sonoma, and CB2. Guests can browse gifts you actually want, chip in to cash funds, or support your favorite charity—while seeing what others have already bought.
Many website builders also include helpful accommodation features. Your website dashboard helps you find hotels with discounted room blocks near your venue. This tool helps your guests book affordable rooms and keeps everyone close to your celebration.
Create a digital keepsake of your big day
Your wedding website becomes more than just a planning tool—it’s a lasting digital memory of your special day. While paper invitations might get lost or damaged, your website keeps all the details, stories, and moments of your wedding journey safe in digital form.
Many platforms offer special features to make these memories even better. Some wedding website builders include virtual guest books for loved ones to share their wishes and memories. Others let you create photo timelines that show your relationship’s story from first meeting to engagement.
Digital mementos are easy to share with friends and family who couldn’t make it to your wedding. Everything stays available on your wedding website for as long as you want, so you and your guests can look back on those special moments years later.
When you review different wedding website builders, think about how each platform’s features match these key benefits. The right builder for you depends on what matters most for your celebration—whether that’s beautiful design options, powerful RSVP tracking, or smooth registry integration. Looking at these features side by side will help you pick the perfect digital home for your wedding story.
Key Features to Look for in a Wedding Website Builder
Let me share five must-have features that set exceptional wedding website builders apart from basic ones for your 2025 celebration. My experience with thousands of couples has shown which capabilities make the biggest impact on their digital wedding planning experience.
Customizable templates
Your wedding website’s look sets the mood for your big day. The best website builders give you plenty of template choices that line up with different wedding styles. Each platform offers different numbers of templates—Joy has 601, The Knot comes with 380 options, and WedSites lets you customize many designs.
Numbers aren’t everything though. Wix and Squarespace take a different approach with fewer templates but give you much more freedom to customize. Wix lets you completely edit templates to match your priorities, but you can’t switch templates once your site goes live. Squarespace puts quality first—each template is “impeccably designed” and you can customize everything using their Fluid engine editor.
Pick a builder that lets you change:
- Colors and fonts to match your wedding palette
- Layout and page structure
- Custom images and photo galleries
- Text to tell your unique story
RSVP and guest list management
The quickest way to handle RSVPs turns a stressful task into a simple process. The most reliable platforms now connect your guest lists between your website and planning tools.
Joy’s RSVP manager stands out. It clearly shows who has and hasn’t replied and handles plus-ones beautifully. Quality platforms now include:
- Family RSVP options so households can respond together
- Meal choice selection
- Custom questions to get extra details
- Automatic reminders for guests who haven’t responded
- Separate guest lists for different events
Most builders help collect addresses through simple forms you can email or text to guests. You won’t need to gather addresses manually anymore. Many platforms let you download your guest data as spreadsheets for planning.
Gift registry integration
A good registry setup means guests won’t need multiple websites to buy gifts. Zola shines here—couples can create fee-free cash funds and add items from any store under one link. Their “Group gifting” lets multiple guests chip in for bigger items like furniture.
The Knot works as a universal registry too. It connects to many retail partners and shows all your gifts in one place. This makes everything easier for your guests.
Look for registry features that give you:
- Clear updates on purchased gifts
- Options for physical items, cash funds, and experiences
- After-wedding perks like completion discounts (Zola gives 20% off remaining items for six months post-wedding)
Mobile responsiveness
Most guests will check your wedding website on their phones, so mobile optimization is crucial. A good wedding website should look and work great on any screen size.
Appy Couple offers something special—a regular website plus a mobile app. Guests get a great phone experience while couples can handle RSVPs, registries, and messages right from their phones.
Test how mobile sites look before picking a builder. Everything should be easy to use on small screens with buttons you can tap and text you can read.
Privacy and password protection
Your wedding website has sensitive details about your celebration that you might want to keep private. Good privacy features protect your event information.
Premium platforms typically offer password protection for your entire site. The Knot adds extra privacy options like limited searchability. You can control if your site shows up in search engines while keeping password protection on.
WedSites adds extra security by blocking Google from finding your website. Everything stays “safe and secure” without extra setup. Some platforms let you control privacy for specific pages instead of the whole site.
Note that search engine privacy changes can take up to 30 days to work. Set up your protection early in your planning.
Free vs Paid Wedding Website Builders
Many couples face their first budget decision when choosing between free and paid wedding website builders. You’ll need to weigh what each tier offers to figure out if premium platforms are worth the investment for your big day.
What you get with free plans
Free wedding website builders give you enough simple features if your needs aren’t complex. To cite an instance, The Knot lets you access their customizable templates and website builder tools at no cost. Most free plans come with:
- A customizable subdomain (usually yournames.theplatform.com)
- Pre-designed templates (fewer than paid versions)
- Simple pages for your story, wedding details, and FAQs
- Standard privacy settings
- About 12 months of hosting
Joy shines as a completely free option with a user-friendly design, mobile-friendly layout, and RSVP management. The Knot’s free service lets you make unlimited changes even after your site goes live, which helps throughout your planning experience.
Free websites do have their limits though. You’ll see platform branding or ads on your site. Wix’s free plan shows a big banner ad that won’t go away unless you upgrade. This can really throw off your wedding website’s look.
When to upgrade
You might want to upgrade to a paid wedding website plan if you need advanced planning tools. Premium plans usually cost between $50 to $200 as a one-time payment. That’s a small part of your overall wedding budget.
A paid plan makes sense if you need:
Online RSVP tracking that works with your guest management tools. This lets you gather dietary requirements and track responses automatically—something free versions rarely include.
Premium designs with more customization options. Squarespace costs more but gives you amazing design flexibility and control. Design-focused couples might find this worth the extra cost.
Custom domain names make your web address more personal and professional. The Knot asks for $19.99 yearly for this feature. Your guests will find it easier to remember and locate your site.
Privacy protection beyond simple password features. Free sites offer password protection, but paid versions give you extra security like keeping your site off search engines.
Hidden costs to watch out for
Your wedding website budget should account for some unexpected expenses. Domain name fees catch many couples by surprise. Even with premium plans, custom domains cost about $20 per year. This becomes a yearly expense if you want to keep your wedding website as a memory.
Some platforms show attractive starting prices but charge extra for wedding features. Wix has great wedding templates but makes you upgrade to remove ads. This makes their free version less practical for weddings.
Third-party integration might cost you more than expected. You might need to pay extra beyond your website subscription to connect services like special RSVP management or registry links.
Subscription renewal fees surprise many couples. Appy Couple charges $12 monthly or $99 yearly to keep your website and app running. This matters if you want your wedding website to stay available after your celebration as a digital keepsake.
Look at both short-term and long-term costs against what you need. This helps you pick the best wedding website builder that fits both your needs and budget.
Wedding Website Comparisons: Top Builders for 2025
Let’s check out the best wedding website builders you can use in 2025. Each platform brings something special to the table based on what you need.
Wix – Best for customization
Wix leads the pack for couples who want complete control over their design. The platform has over 25 wedding templates and lets you change almost every element with its user-friendly drag-and-drop editor. The best part? You can tweak text, colors, and layouts to match your wedding style without knowing any code.
Your engagement photos will look great in Wix’s gallery and video sections. The platform also connects naturally with Instagram, Meta, and Vimeo. Wix Events helps you manage RSVPs with custom forms that work with your guest list.
The biggest problem with Wix’s free plan is the noticeable ads that might not look great on your wedding site. You’ll need to pay $17 monthly (yearly billing) or $24 month-to-month to remove them.
Squarespace – Best for design
Style-savvy couples love Squarespace’s beautifully crafted templates. While it has only 10 wedding-specific designs, each template looks stunning. Their new Blueprint AI tool helps you pick the right tone, colors, and fonts for your site.
Squarespace costs $16 monthly with annual billing and gives you a free custom domain for a year. Photos and videos look amazing on this platform, making it perfect for couples who want to tell their story visually. The platform also works with Zola for registry management.
The Knot – Best for planning tools
The Knot is more than just a website builder – it’s a complete wedding planning system. With 380 wedding templates, this platform brings together your website, registry, and planning tools in one place.
The Knot’s free version automatically adds items from partner stores to your Registry page. The platform’s messaging center lets you talk to guests through email or text. Want your own web address? Custom domains cost $20 per year.
Joy – Best free option
Joy stands out as a completely free platform. With 601 templates, Joy makes it simple for anyone to create a good-looking website quickly.
Joy’s RSVP manager is exceptional. It tracks responses clearly and handles plus-one guests well. Guests can stay updated through Joy’s mobile app, and the built-in map feature shows them exactly how to get to your venues.
Appy Couple – Best for mobile app experience
Appy Couple gives you both a website and a downloadable app for $12 monthly or $99 yearly. This means you can plan your wedding right from your phone.
Guests get a personalized app experience where they can find directions, share photos in a wedding forum, write in digital guestbooks, and send virtual toasts. The platform has 500 designs created with well-known bridal designers, looking great on both website and app.
Zola – Best for registry integration
Zola shines when it comes to managing your registry. You can add gifts from almost anywhere – big retailers or local shops.
Zola’s “Group gifting” feature is great for expensive items. They also offer a 20% discount on remaining registry items six months after your wedding. The platform works well with other wedding websites like The Knot and Squarespace through HTML snippets.
Each platform has its strengths – from design options to planning tools and mobile features. Pick the one that matches your priorities to create a wedding website that makes planning easier and keeps your guests informed.
How to Choose the Right Builder for Your Needs
The perfect wedding website builder matches your unique needs with the right platform’s capabilities. After looking at different options, you’ll need to pick one that works best for your celebration.
Match features to your wedding priorities
Your non-negotiable features should guide your wedding website choice. Design-focused couples will love Wix’s flexibility to adjust text, colors, and layouts that match their wedding vision. The Knot naturally connects your website, registry, and planning features in one system for couples who want complete planning tools.
Several factors might shape your choice:
- Registry management? Zola stands out with universal integration and lets you add gifts from almost anywhere
- Mobile accessibility? Appy Couple gives you both a website and a downloadable app
- Simple RSVP tracking? Joy’s excellent RSVP manager tracks responses and handles plus-one management well
Finding a site that lines up with your wedding’s specific needs and style is key.
Think about your tech comfort level
Your technical skills should play a big role in your choice. Each platform needs different levels of digital know-how:
Wix gives you lots of customization options but might be too much for couples who like a simpler setup. Joy offers an accessible design that works well for tech novices. The Knot’s wedding websites are “extremely easy to create and use—a major bonus for those of us that don’t have a Ph.D. in web design”.
Your guests need platforms that work well on smartphones so they can check updates quickly. Many builders now come with apps that make management from your phone simple.
Your timeline and budget matter
Start working on your wedding website early – it’s one of the first things guests look for after you announce your engagement. Early planning gives you room to explore without rushing.
Here’s what different price points get you:
- Free plans come with simple templates and standard privacy settings
- Custom domains cost about $20 per year as an extra
- You might need to upgrade to remove ads
Joy’s free version includes all planning tools without limits, while The Knot restricts advanced features in its free plan. Joy’s complete free package makes it a great choice for budget-conscious couples who want all the tools.
Tips for Setting Up Your Wedding Website Stress-Free
Building your wedding website can be a fun part of your engagement instead of another stressor. The right approach can turn this task into one of the most enjoyable parts of your wedding planning experience.
Start early in your planning process
The best time to create your wedding website is right after getting engaged. As Zola explains, “No one will see your site until you publish it, so feel free to play around with different wedding website design ideas and add information as you acquire it”. Wedding experts suggest starting your site 10-12 months before the big day. This gives your guests plenty of time to plan their travel.
Your first step should be getting your custom URL, especially if you want a web address that shows off your identity as a couple. You can add details about venues, places to stay, and gift registries later as you confirm them.
Use pre-made templates to save time
Today’s best wedding website builders offer pre-designed templates that make life easier. These professional designs help you create a beautiful site quickly. At Zola, “we have hundreds of different wedding website templates that you can choose from”.
These templates work so well because:
- They set up your layout, design, and color scheme right away
- You can adjust fonts and colors to match your wedding style
- The services often include matching invitations and stationery to tie everything together
Pick a template that matches your wedding style first, then add your personal touches and details.
Test your site on mobile before sharing
Your guests will likely check your wedding website on their phones, so this matters a lot. Recent data shows 56.16% of all web traffic came through mobile phones as of April 2021. A mobile-friendly site isn’t just nice to have – it’s a must.
Before you share your website link, test it on phones, tablets, and computers. Ask someone you trust to look at your site and tell you what they think. “If they find something confusing, chances are other guests will too”.
This full mobile testing helps you spot any navigation problems early. Your guests should find what they need easily, no matter which device they use.
Conclusion
Your unique priorities and planning style will determine the best wedding website builder for you. Digital platforms have evolved a lot over the last several years. They’ve grown from basic information pages into complete planning hubs that make communication and organization easier for your 2025 wedding.
You’ll need a wedding website builder that fits your specific needs. Joy offers great free features, Wix gives you unlimited customization options, and Zola’s registry integration works smoothly. Your wedding website should feel like it’s part of your celebration, not just another task on your planning list.
Starting early gives you time to play around with different templates and add details as they’re confirmed. On top of that, it’s important to test your site on different devices so guests can access information easily, whatever device they use.
Features are important, but the platform needs to be easy to use. Even the most advanced platform won’t help if it frustrates you during your engagement. Take an honest look at your budget – many free options have surprisingly good features without needing premium upgrades.
Your wedding website works as both a practical planning tool and a digital keepsake of your special day. Pick a platform that combines good functionality, design, and ease-of-use. This will improve your guests’ experience and help you keep those precious memories for years to come.
