Today (June 30th, the last day of Pride Month!) the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Christian web designer in Colorado who refused to create websites to celebrate same-sex weddings due to religious objections. This is a horrible blow to LGBTQ+ humans who have been the target of far-right legislation across the country in 2023.
So far this year, over 500 bills that threaten the ability of LGBTQ+ people to live fully and freely have been introduced and more than 145 of those bills have passed at least one chamber. Discrimination is being baked into law.
Today’s ruling is significant because it opens the door to increased discrimination - any business could conceivably turn LGBTQ+ people away on the grounds of their religious beliefs. That means grocery stores could refuse food, healthcare providers could refuse care, landlords could refuse housing. You get where this is going.
At Tempo we believe all humans are valuable because they are. And we want to celebrate your love and commitment. That’s why we want to make it easy for you to avoid ever having to ask for services from a web designer who doesn’t respect you. We’ve assembled a quick and easy guide to building your own wedding web presence. And, if none of this works - call us. We are here for you. Because your love matters. And so do you.
What do you want to accomplish with your wedding website? For instance:
Building a wedding website shouldn’t break the bank or take weeks of development. You can use a wedding website builder like The Knot to save on time. Or create a more customized experience with a low/no-code option like Squarespace, Wix or Webflow.
Once you know how you’ll build your website, you need to choose the domain name. This is the web address your guests will use to find your wedding website. Most web builders will allow you to personalize their domain with your name(s).
You can also buy a custom domain through most website builders. If you don’t plan to keep your website active after your wedding day, you won’t need to worry about renewal costs. When choosing your domain name, avoid numbers and punctuation and keep it short.
TIP: If you use your names (like Sarah and Julie) and “.wedding” at the end (rather than .com), you will find available domain names (Example: www.sarahandjulie.wedding).
Choosing a template is when the fun begins. Website builders like The Knot and Zola offer some well-designed templates. But iIf you want something that speaks more to your visual aesthetic, a custom option may be your best choice.
Add in the important info that your friends and family will need to know about the wedding. It’s ok if you don’t have all of the details figured out. The site can start out as a “save the date” announcement with information being added as you and your partner make logistical decisions.
Whether you plan to do print invitations or online invitations, consider offering a method to RSVP on your wedding website.
While the invitation isn’t the right place to share registry information, a wedding website is. You can include links to the registry websites or even a donation link (paypal, venmo, or zelle) for people who prefer to give money securely. Consider letting your guests know your plans for the money, whether it is to help with your honeymoon, go towards a down payment, or some other investment in your new life together, to make them feel a part of your special day.
You may not want the whole world to know about your wedding, so consider keeping your website private. Use your website’s settings to block your site from search engines, like google. You can also password-protect your website and make the password available to your guests through a save-the-date mailing or your invitation.
Consider adding a social stream if your website builder has an option for it or share photos and videos from your big day. You may want to create a hashtag for your wedding like #sarahandjulieswedding so you can see all of the photos at once.
Make sure to proofread everything on the site and check all of the links to make sure they work. If you are using photos, keep them small so the website loads quickly.
And if you don’t have time to build your own wedding website, Tempo by Clockwork specializes in low-code/no-code websites for everyone. Contact us to learn more and let us know if you need a hand!
