Wedding Website Checklist: A Timeline From Engagement to Wedding Day

Knowing what to put on your wedding website is one thing. Knowing when to do each part is another. Most couples either set everything up too early (before the details are confirmed) or too late (guests are already asking questions). Here's a realistic timeline based on what actually works.

6 to 8 months before

Set up the site with the basics

At this point you probably have a date, a venue (or at least a city), and your names. That's enough to start. Pick your design, set up your URL, and add what you know:

• Your names and wedding date
• Venue name and city (full address can wait if it's not confirmed)
• A placeholder "more details coming soon" for sections you haven't figured out yet

Don't open RSVPs yet. Don't share the link widely. This is your foundation. You're building the frame so you can fill in details as they come together. If close family asks, you can share the link, but the real launch comes later.

Start your guest list

If your wedding website has a guest management tool, start adding names now even if the list isn't final. It's easier to remove people later than to enter 200 names in a rush. For a Filipino wedding with a large guest list, starting early is especially important because the list tends to grow as family members weigh in.

4 to 6 months before

Fill in the details

By now most of the major decisions are made. Add the information your guests will actually need:

• Full venue address and directions (parking, entrance notes)
• Schedule of events (ceremony time, reception, any other events)
• Accommodation suggestions with links and booking codes if you have a hotel block
• Travel and transportation info (shuttle, ride-share, driving directions)
• Dress code (be specific, not just "semi-formal")
• Registry links

This is also a good time to write your FAQ section. Think about the questions you've already been asked. Are kids welcome? Is there parking? Is the ceremony outdoors? A good FAQ saves you dozens of individual conversations over the next few months.

Send save-the-dates

Include your website URL on the save-the-date. Don't expect heavy traffic yet. Most guests will glance at it, note the date, and come back when they get the formal invitation. That's fine. The save-the-date is a heads-up, not a call to action.

3 to 4 months before

Open RSVPs and send invitations

This is the big moment. Your RSVP form goes live and you send invitations (or share the link with a clear "RSVPs are open" message). Make sure the form is ready:

• Attendance (yes or no)
• Meal choice (if applicable)
• Dietary restrictions
• Plus-one details (if you're allowing them)
• A firm deadline (3 to 4 weeks before the wedding)

Set the RSVP deadline early enough to give yourself a buffer. Your caterer will need a final headcount about 2 weeks before the wedding. That means your deadline should be at least 3 weeks out, giving you a week to chase down the stragglers.

For RSVP wording that's clear and gets responses, I wrote a full guide with examples you can copy.

2 to 3 weeks before the deadline

Send RSVP reminders

Some guests will have responded immediately. Others won't. This is when you send a friendly reminder to everyone who hasn't responded yet. With a digital RSVP system, this takes one click. Without one, it's a lot of individual texts.

"Hey! RSVPs are due by [date]. If you haven't had a chance yet, here's the link: [URL]. Would love to know if you can make it!"

1 to 2 weeks before the wedding

Final updates

This is when guests will check the site again for last-minute details. Make sure everything is current:

• Final schedule with times
• Parking details and any last-minute venue notes
• Weather considerations (if your ceremony is outdoors)
• Any changes to the plan (venue room change, timing adjustment)

Finalize your headcount

By now your RSVP deadline has passed. Follow up with anyone who still hasn't responded (there will be some), finalize your numbers, and send the headcount to your caterer.

Wedding day and after

Day-of

Your website is still useful on the wedding day. Guests will check it for the schedule, venue directions, and parking info. If you have a guestbook or photo-sharing feature, let guests know they can use it. A QR code on table signage or in the reception program makes it easy.

After the wedding

Your site doesn't have to disappear the next day. Keep it live for a few months so guests can:

• Upload their photos from the day
• Leave guestbook messages they didn't get to write at the reception
• Revisit the site as a memory

If your platform charges monthly, set a reminder to cancel before you forget. If you're on a one-time payment platform like ours, you don't have to think about it. Always & Forever sites stay live for up to 6 months after the wedding day, so guests can revisit late photos and thank-yous without you managing anything.

The full timeline

If you're still deciding whether you need a website at all, I wrote about who actually needs one and who can skip it. And if you're ready to get started, see real examples and see what fits your wedding.