I wanted to take some time to better explain a unique feature that I offer all of my clients who purchase ‘The Engagement Package’ or ‘The Complete Package’. I call them personalized wedding websites and they are awesome! If you are a bride in the midst of planning a wedding you might have seen them before through big names like TheKnot.com. I think it is great that this feature is being offered on some sites, but they are template designs that are bland and will be used for countless other couples. I design and create all of my personalized websites, so only my brides will get something this personal. Let me show you an example of one before I start going through all of the benefits. You can find a recent one that I have created here. Now that you have one in front of you, let me walk you through the benefits.
Let’s start along the top. I always like to include a story of how the two of you fell in love. Every single wedding I shoot is completely unique. It is important for me to get to know my clients and learn about their own love story. This also will be a great way to fill in the plot points for people that don’t know the entire story of how you got together!
The top navigation will also include two storyboard links for your engagement session and the actual wedding. These are set up similar to my own website. I will write a few words from the day on the left and then you will be able to scroll through all of the images on the right.
The last link on the top navigation contains all of your wedding details. In this example I have included the date and time of the wedding and then two separate links on the page. One is for addresses and directions to the ceremony and reception. The second opens a page that will connect the couple’s guests with the hotel that they can book rooms at a discount. These pages are fully customizable so you get exactly what you want out of your website!
Again, all of this info is in one place. If any of your guests have questions you can just simply send them here for all the information. Couples usually put their personal web address on their save-the-date cards or formal invitations. They have found that this is the easiest way to relay information to their guests and share all of their photos with friends and family. Simple. Easy. Smart and elegant design. That is what I am all about.
At any point during a visit to your personal website you can click your names at the top to get back to the homepage. Here we can find a few more options for you and your guests to check out. There are a variety of options you can choose to add here or leave out. It’s all up to you 🙂 If you click the first circle titled ‘View the PASS Gallery’ you are taken to a page that explains how the online gallery works. It’s an amazing way to view and share your photos. After all, that’s why we’re taking all these great photographs right? From this page you can click into the different galleries to look at all the photos from either the engagement session or wedding. Simple and easy. I don’t like to complicate things.
When you head back to the homepage you can see that they have chosen to have an online guestbook that all their friends and family can sign via their Facebook accounts. It is a great way for guests to type something up before the wedding letting the couple know how excited they are to attend the wedding or to let them know what a good time they had. You can also include a registry link, which can connect your guests to all the locations you registered at so that they can easily make a purchase. The one option that this particular couple chose not to include was an online RSVP link. Using Google forms we can create an online way for your guests to RSVP to the wedding.
Personalized websites are the one place that contain all of your wedding info for both you and your guests. You wont have to fuss with passing DVDs of images to all your family members. You won’t have to remind everyone again and again of times, locations, and details. Your personal website alleviates all the little parts of wedding planning that usually make things complicated. Instead, you have something you can be proud to share with all of the people closest to you. I love it and my brides do as well!
Cheers,
RZ
this is awesome! good idea!