WEDDING BLOG

Spreading the Good News: Wedding Websites and Save the Date Cards

April 22, 2015 | Junebug Weddings

After the initial celebrations and first wave of to-do’s are out of the way, announcing your wedding to your friends and family is the next major step in the wedding planning journey. Your save-the-date cards and wedding website are your guests’ first impression of your big day! It’s a little overwhelming when you first start searching for stationery designers and website builders, so I have some recommendations below as well as tips and advice on creating awesome save-the-date cards and wedding websites.

Wedding Websites

There are a million and 1 ways to build a wedding website, and it just depends on how tech savvy you are and what design templates you’d like to use. If you’re looking for a custom domain name and lots of free range when it comes to design, you should probably consider a paid website builder. I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best wedding website builders, including free and paid. I’ve also got a list of things that should be included on your website!

5 Free Wedding Websites that Rock:

The Knot
Wedding Wire
My Wedding
E Wedding
Wedding Window

5 Paid Wedding Websites that Wow:

Appy Couple – I’m using Appy Couple for my own wedding website, because I love how much you can do with their templates. I also think their app tool is awesome. It makes it easier for my guests to stay up-to-date on all things Phil and Carrie on-the-go!
Riley & Grey
Wedding Woo
Squarespace
Weduary

What to Include in Your Wedding Website:

– Location and Times –

This may seem obvious, but sometimes the obvious things are easy to forget! Where is your ceremony? Where is your reception? What time does the party start?

– Bio –

This is actually important as it helps people feel more connected to your relationship. How did you two meet? What do you like to do in your free time?

– Accommodations & Travel –

Where should your guests stay? Do you have rooms reserved? Is there a discount? When is the deadline for guests to reserve their hotel rooms?

– Additional Event Details –

Will dinner be served? Is it a cash bar? Will the ceremony be outdoors? What’s the dress code?

– Registry Details –

Try and keep the registry list simple and not overwhelming. If you give too many options, you won’t receive what you want the most. Also, remember to have a nice mix of price tags.

All in all, a good rule of thumb when building your website is to pretend that you’re a guest attending the wedding yourself!

Save the Dates

Again, there are so many options out there. From cute Etsy shops and awesome calligraphy experts to big brands that are quick, easy, and affordable, it really just depends on your budget and priorities.

Local Designers & Calligraphy Experts:

If you’re all about buying local, finding a local stationery designer is the perfect option for you! There’s something so sentimental about having each of your invitations created and designed by hand, which is why more and more couples are hiring calligraphists like Laura Hooper Calligraphy, who happens to be a Junebug member! Custom stationery is truly memorable and if you love design, this is definitely a stylish way to make your wedding more personal and unique.

Big Brands with Style:

Brands like Minted work with designers all around the world and provide couples with artistic stationery without a huge price tag. P.S. Minted just came out with a new line of stationery that is totally cute!

Also, if you have a wedding website, be sure to include the URL on your save-the-date cards!

Next time on From Blogger to Bride, I’ll be sitting down with the owner of a local floral studio to discuss everyone’s favorite topic: flowers! Also, if you want to know more about me and about what we’re doing everyday here at Junebug, check out a recent interview I did with the lovely folks over at Simon G.!

Spring Wedding at The Hall at Senate’s End

April 22, 2015 | Junebug Weddings

black coral light pink orange sage green

Overflowing bouquets of coral and pink, chic black bridesmaids dresses, and a charming venue with exposed brick are just a few of the things that made Liz and Michael’s South Carolina wedding so beautiful. The pair were married at The Hall at Senate’s End in a romantic outdoor ceremony where they shared their first look as Liz walked down the aisle. We Are The Hoffmans perfectly captured the intimate moments between the newlyweds and the impeccable floral design of Fern Studio.

The Couple:

Liz and Michael

The Wedding:

The Hall at Senate’s End, Columbia, South Carolina

The Inspiration:

We wanted the wedding to have a romantic feel with both casual and elegant details. We chose a lighter palate with lots of pinks and mint greens to accent the beautiful garden and give our wedding a spring feel. The arrangements and bouquets were loose and overflowing to give them a natural look. Our aim was to have a timeless look that we would always love. Our main focus was our guests. We really wanted to have a fun wedding, so we made sure we had great food, an awesome band, and an open bar with a wide selection!

The Moments:

Liz: Walking down the aisle after we were married I was overcome with emotion. It was so special to see how many people came to celebrate with us! I remember saying “wow, we are married now” and just becoming overwhelmed with happiness. Our reception was so much fun (the band was amazing!) and being able to enjoy it with our friends and family was awesome! We had so many people come from out of town so it was really special to see everyone and feel so loved.

Michael: My favorite moment was between the post-wedding pictures and the party, Liz and I had a few moments to sit down and just enjoy being married, and we had a little plate of delicious food to share. One of the funniest moments was getting ready for the wedding, 8 guys trying to tie a bow-tie.

The Couple Recommends:

Our photographers, We Are the Hoffmans, were amazing! The pictures they took are incredible and they really captured our wedding beautifully. We can’t stop looking at our pictures! Our florist, Sarah from Fern Studio, created the most beautiful arrangements and bouquets. She was a joy to work with and made our ideas even more beautiful than we could have imagined. Almost a year later I still can’t get over how gorgeous the flowers were! The staff at The Hall at Senate’s End was so helpful and made the whole process so stress free.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – We Are The Hoffmans
Venue – The Hall at Senate’s End
Floral Design – Fern Studio
Catering – Dupre Catering
Cake – Parkland Cakes
Live Music – Finesse Band
Invitations – Reaves Engraving
Wedding Dress – Oleg Cassini
Bridal Accessories – Fine and Fleuri, Kate Spade

Thanks to We Are The Hoffmans for giving Junebug a glimpse into Liz and Michael’s romantic South Carolina wedding! If you loved Liz and Michael’s color palette, check out Shannon and Andrew’s sweet rustic wedding at Fields on West Lake for more inspiration!

Green Woodland Wedding Inspiration

April 22, 2015 | Junebug Weddings

brown chartreuse kelly green sage green yellow

Inspired by the lively nature in the Pacific Northwest, some of the region’s best wedding professionals joined together to create this beautiful woodland wedding inspiration. The color palette designed by Tied Bow Events is filled with shades of green, which is perfect for a spring wedding in any part of the world. Kathryn Moran Photography perfectly captured the intricate details and the textures of the forest.

Here’s what Katheryn Moran had to say about the shoot:

When I set out to create this styled shoot I had a definite vision and I knew I wanted to try and encapsulate everything Pacific Northwest. Having grown up here my entire life, I felt like I had a good grasp on what gives the PNW its claim to fame: moss, pine cones, tall green trees, textured woods- oh, and did I mention moss? Little did I know that so many of these natural elements were becoming popular with brides near and far. The woodland approach to wedding style is blowing up and I wanted to feature how a bride might be able to achieve this style by utilizing the beauty that is already found all around us.

Our design for the day was led by Morgan Gaunt of Tied Bow Events. Her vision and ability to meld different textures, colors, heights and props really made this shoot out in the woods come alive. The space she created was magical, whimsical, elegant and fun- something I think all brides can appreciate and love. We had so many vendors that were willing to participate to make this shoot a reality and bring unique items to the table. For Such A Time Designs provided beautiful hand stamped flatware that added a personalized feel to the table. Place settings, menus and other stationery created by Noteworthy Ink was simple, but playful and made the whole scene feel more realistic. That gorgeous bouquet and headband was crafted by Colleen of Botanikal and featured all sorts of different kinds of flowers and greenery that really speak to the Pacific Northwest. A stunning green sapphire ring from The Silvery Moon, makeup by Ashley of Love Beauty and hair done by Kayla of La Terra Salon all teamed up and took our bride from a typical day in the woods to a beautiful, decorated bride amongst the trees and vintage wedding day glamour.