Episode 16 of Planning Your I Do — from You Had Me At I Do. Chris Truitt, owner — 26+ years and 400+ weddings as officiant and DJ.
Listen on Spotify: Your Wedding Website FAQ (So Guests Stop Texting You) · ~20 minutes
Key Takeaways
- A good FAQ page is a gift to yourself. Cover dress code, parking, timeline, kids, and gifts in one place.
- Top 10 FAQ categories (RSVP, directions, dress code, plus-ones, gifts)
- Dress code wording that actually helps guests
At some point in every wedding we’ve officiated, the couple’s phone starts buzzing with the same questions on repeat. What time should we arrive? What’s the dress code? Is there parking? Can we bring the kids? Where do we stay? Where’s the registry?
It’s not that your guests are thoughtless. They’re excited, they’re busy, and they’re trying to get their weekend organized. But if you’re answering those questions individually — in texts, in DMs, at family dinner — you will lose your mind before you lose five pounds in a dress that hasn’t arrived yet.
A good FAQ page on your wedding website is a gift to yourself. It’s also a gift to your guests, who genuinely want to show up prepared and just need one place to look. Think of it as the thoughtful answer to questions before they ask — so you can save your energy for decisions that actually need you.
The Top FAQ Categories Worth Covering
You don’t need to write a novel. You need to cover the categories that generate the most messages. In our experience, these ten come up at nearly every wedding:
RSVP and deadline. Where to respond, by when, and how to indicate meal choices or dietary needs.
Date, time, and location. Ceremony and reception addresses, with links to maps. If they’re different venues, say so clearly.
Arrival time. Guests consistently arrive either forty-five minutes early or fifteen minutes late. Tell them when you’d like them seated.
Dress code. More on this below — but put it here, not just on the invitation.
Parking and transportation. Where to park, whether shuttles run, rideshare drop-off points, and any venue quirks like gravel roads or long walks from the lot.
Accommodations. Hotel block information, check-in dates, and whether rooms are holding until a specific deadline.
Weekend itinerary. Rehearsal dinner, welcome drinks, morning-after brunch — whatever you’re hosting or recommending.
Plus-ones and children. Who’s invited, and what your policy is. Say it plainly.
Gifts and registry. Where to find your registry, and whether you prefer contributions to a honeymoon fund or cash fund.
Contact person. Not you. One name — a wedding party member or parent — for day-of questions so your phone stays in your getting-ready room.
If you cover those ten, you’ve eliminated the majority of pre-wedding texts. Everything else is bonus.
Dress Code Wording That Actually Helps
“Dress code: formal” tells your guests almost nothing. Your idea of formal and your college roommate’s idea of formal may be two different universes — one involves a floor-length gown, the other involves the nicest khakis he owns.
Be specific and give examples. Here are phrases that work:
Cocktail attire: “We’d love to see you in cocktail dresses, dressy separates, or suits. Ties welcome but not required.”
Garden formal: “The ceremony is outdoors on grass — block heels or wedges recommended. Think summer dresses, linen suits, and dressy sandals.”
Black tie optional: “Floor-length gowns and dark suits welcome. A cocktail dress or sport coat is perfectly fine too.”
Casual celebration: “Come comfortable and ready to dance — no need for formal wear. Jeans are fine if they’re your nice jeans.”
If there are colors you want people to avoid — white, for obvious reasons, or the bridesmaids’ exact shade of dusty rose — say so kindly: “We’d appreciate guests avoiding white and ivory so our wedding party colors can shine.”
The goal isn’t to dictate everyone’s wardrobe. It’s to help guests feel confident so they’re not texting you the night before asking if their outfit works.
Timeline and Weekend Itinerary for Out-of-Town Guests
Out-of-town guests are planning an entire trip around your wedding, not just an evening. They need the big picture.
A simple weekend timeline on your FAQ page saves everyone confusion. It doesn’t have to be fancy:
Friday: Rehearsal at 5 PM, rehearsal dinner at 7 PM at [location]. All wedding party and family welcome; other guests optional if we’ve extended an invitation separately.
Saturday: Guest arrival by 4 PM. Ceremony at 4:30 PM. Cocktail hour and reception to follow. Dancing until 11 PM.
Sunday: Farewell brunch at 10 AM at [location]. Open to all guests who’d like to join.
If certain events are invite-only, say that. Nothing creates awkwardness faster than a guest showing up to a rehearsal dinner they weren’t invited to, or skipping a welcome party because they didn’t know it existed.
Link each event to its address. If dress code differs between events — casual brunch versus formal reception — note that too.
Hotel Blocks and Transportation — Say It Once, Link It Everywhere
Hotel block information belongs in three places: your FAQ page, your invitation insert or website link, and any email you send to out-of-town guests. Same wording, same link, every time.
Include the hotel name, the group rate code or booking link, the deadline for the block, and the nightly rate if you know it. Mention whether the hotel is walking distance to the venue or whether guests should plan to drive or shuttle.
For transportation, answer the questions guests won’t think to ask until they’re standing in a parking lot: Is there a shuttle from the hotel to the venue? What time does it run? Is there a return shuttle after the reception? Where do rideshares pick up?
We officiated a vineyard wedding where the FAQ page included a single sentence — “Rideshare drop-off is at the main gate; please do not drive up to the barn” — that prevented at least a dozen confused arrivals. One sentence. Huge payoff.
If you’re not providing transportation, that’s fine too. Just say so: “Guests should plan to drive or use rideshare. Parking is free on-site.”
Password-Protecting Guest-Only Pages
Your wedding website has a public face and a private one. The public pages — your story, general date and location, dress code — can be open to anyone who finds the link. The guest-only pages should be protected.
Use a simple password and share it only on your invitations and direct guest communications. The password doesn’t need to be cryptic. Something easy to type on a phone — your wedding date, a combined last name, a short phrase — works perfectly.
Guest-only pages might include: full weekend itinerary, shuttle schedules, registry links, RSVP forms, and any details you don’t want floating publicly on the internet. Some couples also put their hotel block link behind the password so random traffic doesn’t eat up reserved rooms.
Don’t put the password in a public Instagram caption. Do put it on the physical invitation, the RSVP card, and any personal email to your guest list.
A Few Practical Tips From the Altar
Update your FAQ when something changes. If your shuttle time moves or your venue adjusts the arrival window, fix the website before you text individual people. The FAQ is only useful if it’s current.
Designate a FAQ point person. Tell your wedding party: “If someone asks you a logistics question, send them to the website first.” Train your people gently — most guests will ask a bridesmaid before they’ll scroll a FAQ page unless you redirect them.
Keep the tone warm. This is still your wedding, not a corporate event page. “We can’t wait to celebrate with you” belongs on the FAQ just as much as parking instructions.
And give yourself permission to not answer texts that the FAQ already covers. “Great question — it’s all on our website under FAQ!” is a complete and kind response.
Your wedding website isn’t replacing personal connection. It’s protecting your time so that when guests do reach out, the conversation can be about excitement and love — not whether they can wear open-toed shoes.
This is Planning Your I Do — wedding guidance from Chris Truitt and You Had Me At I Do. Chris brings twenty-six years and more than four hundred weddings of real-world experience — as an officiant and a DJ. For planning tools, timelines, and more episodes, visit youhadmeatido.com.
Your Wedding Website FAQ (So Guests Stop Texting You)
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