WedSites vs Bridebook
Considering your wedding planning options? Both WedSites and Bridebook offer wedding websites and planning tools, but they approach the planning experience quite differently, particularly in terms of their platform focus, feature depth, and business model.
Bridebook is the UK's #1 wedding planning app, with over 1.9 million weddings planned through their platform. They're known for their mobile-first approach and completely free model. Everything is free: personalized checklist, budget calculator based on real UK wedding data, guest list management, and a vendor directory featuring venues from castles to barns across the UK and worldwide. Their free wedding website keeps guests updated and collects RSVPs, with password protection and mobile-friendly design. You can link accounts with your partner to plan together from separate devices with native iOS and Android apps. Being completely free is a major advantage that makes Bridebook accessible to every couple regardless of budget.
WedSites is a wedding planning platform with emphasis on websites and integrated planning tools. While Bridebook excels as a free mobile app with vendor discovery, WedSites focuses on integrated planning: timeline builders, payment tracking linked to budget and vendors, email tracking for guest communication, design customization with custom CSS and fonts, and multi-language support. WedSites has a smaller template library, a smaller user base than Bridebook, and does not offer a dedicated mobile app. If you want planning features beyond a mobile app and vendor directory, here's how the two platforms compare.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | WedSites | Bridebook |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $39 Basic, $99 Standard, $199 Pro (one-time) | ✅ Completely free |
| Budget Calculator | ✅ Pro only: Expense categories & tracking | ✅ Based on real UK wedding data |
| Custom Domain | ✅ Native DNS + SSL certificates included | ❌ Not available |
| Font Selection | ✅ Extensive font library | ⚠️ Template-based |
| Custom CSS | ✅ Full design control | ❌ Not available |
| Platform Focus | ⚠️ Web-based (no mobile app) | ✅ Native mobile apps (iOS/Android) |
| Switch Templates | ✅ Anytime without losing content | ✅ Templates available |
| Privacy Controls | ✅ Password protection, SEO blocking | ✅ Password protection, unique URL |
| Multi-Language | ✅ Full website translation | ❌ Not available |
| Partner Collaboration | ⚠️ Shared account access | ✅ Link accounts, assign tasks to each other |
| Digital Stationery | ✅ Included with Standard/Pro | ❌ Not included |
| Email Tracking | ✅ Opens, clicks, delivery monitoring | ❌ Not available |
| Email Drafts & Outbox | ✅ Complete email management | ❌ Not available |
| RSVP Management | ✅ Multi-event, custom questions | ✅ RSVP collection |
| Vendor Directory | ❌ Not included | ✅ Worldwide venues & suppliers |
| Guest List | ✅ Households, groups, A/B lists | ✅ Track RSVPs, +1s, dietary requirements |
| Collect Guest Details | ✅ Custom form to gather info | ❌ Not available |
| Stationery Tracking | ✅ Track what you sent to each guest | ❌ Not available |
| Planning Checklist | ✅ Pro only: Pre-populated + custom tasks | ✅ Personalized checklist with custom tasks |
| Vendor Management | ✅ Pro only: Contacts, files, payments | ✅ Search, shortlist, and manage vendors |
| Payment Tracking | ✅ Pro only: Links to vendors & budget | ❌ Not available |
| Seating Chart | ✅ Pro only: Drag-and-drop with groups | ❌ Not included |
| Wedding Countdown | ⚠️ Not featured | ✅ Days until wedding tracker |
| Timeline Builder | ✅ Pro only: Day-of runsheet with highlighter | ❌ Not available |
| Built-in Gift Registry | ❌ Links to external registries | ❌ Links to external registries |
Pricing Comparison
Bridebook is completely free to use, with no paid plans, no premium tiers, and no hidden costs. You can access their full suite of planning tools, create your wedding website, manage your guest list, use their budget calculator, search their vendor directory, and collaborate with your partner, all at no cost. This is genuinely impressive and makes Bridebook accessible to every couple regardless of budget.
WedSites offers three tiers with one-time payments:
- Basic Plan: $39 one-time payment gets you started with core website features
- Standard Plan: $99 one-time payment includes digital stationery, email tracking, and advanced guest management. There are no recurring charges.
- Pro Plan: $199 one-time payment unlocks the planning suite with checklist, budget, vendors, payment tracking, seating chart, and timeline builder. There are no recurring charges.
Bridebook's free model is supported through their vendor directory. When couples find and book suppliers through their platform, vendors pay Bridebook for those connections. This is a common business model used by many wedding platforms, and it allows Bridebook to offer all their planning tools to couples at no cost.
WedSites charges directly for its planning tools because it does not operate a vendor marketplace. Revenue comes from couples purchasing plans.
If you want completely free planning tools and vendor discovery, Bridebook delivers excellent value. If you want features like email tracking, timeline builders, payment tracking, and seating charts (features Bridebook doesn't offer), WedSites provides them for a one-time fee.
Mobile App vs Responsive Website
Bridebook is designed as a mobile app-first experience with native apps for both iOS and Android. Their interface is optimized for planning on your phone, and the dedicated app means quick access from your home screen. This mobile-first approach works well for couples who do most of their planning on phones or tablets.
You can link your account with your partner's, allowing both of you to plan together from separate devices. Assign tasks to each other, manage your guest list collaboratively, and both stay updated on progress. This partner collaboration feature is a genuine strength of the platform.
WedSites takes a web-first approach with responsive design that works on any device. Your wedding website and planning tools adapt to mobile phones, tablets, and desktops without requiring an app download. However, WedSites does not offer a dedicated mobile app, which means no home screen icon and no native app experience. For planning tasks that involve significant data entry (budget, vendor contacts, seating charts), many couples prefer the larger screen of a laptop or desktop, where WedSites' web-based approach works well.
Vendor Directory - Bridebook's Core Strength
Bridebook features a vendor and venue directory with suppliers worldwide, including castles, country houses, warehouses, barns, and more. You can search for vendors, create shortlists, and book suppliers all through their platform. This vendor discovery and shortlisting feature is valuable during the vendor search phase of planning, particularly for UK-based couples where Bridebook has the strongest vendor coverage. Coverage may be more limited outside the UK.
WedSites doesn't include a vendor directory. The platform focuses on managing vendors you've already chosen rather than helping you discover new ones. Store all vendor contacts, contracts, files, and notes in organized profiles. The focus is on managing relationships, not discovering new vendors.
If you're in the early stages and need to find a florist or photographer, Bridebook's directory is helpful, especially in the UK. Once you've booked your team, WedSites' management tools become more valuable for day-to-day planning and financial tracking.
Custom Domain & Design Flexibility
Bridebook offers a range of templates and color schemes, including classic and elegant, bold and modern, or playful options. You can personalize your website with your own photos and stories, set a unique URL to prevent random discovery, and preview your design before publishing. Password protection keeps your site private for invited guests only. Custom domain integration (using your own domain name like yournames.com) does not appear to be available on Bridebook.
WedSites provides native custom domain integration with DNS configuration and SSL certificates included at no additional cost. The font library includes hundreds of typefaces. WedSites supports full custom CSS, giving you control over every visual element. The template library is smaller than some competitors, but you can switch between templates at any time without losing content or customizations.
Multi-Language Support
Bridebook doesn't offer multi-language website capabilities. For bilingual or multicultural weddings, you'd need to manually create content in multiple languages.
WedSites includes website translation functionality. Create a full version of your wedding website in another language with a language switcher that guests can toggle between. All your RSVP forms, event details, timeline, and site content work seamlessly in multiple languages.
For multicultural weddings, this allows your Hindi-speaking family to navigate your entire site in Hindi while your English-speaking friends use English.
Digital Communication & Email Tracking
Bridebook doesn't include digital stationery or email tracking features. Their platform focuses on website hosting, guest list management, and vendor discovery rather than email communication tools.
WedSites Standard and Pro plans include a digital stationery platform with integrated email tracking. Design save-the-dates and invitations that match your website, customize the wording, and send them directly to your guest list.
Every email you send is tracked automatically. See who opened your save-the-date, who clicked through to RSVP, and who needs a reminder. This tracking data flows directly into your guest list database, and the stationery tracking feature records every communication in each guest's profile automatically.
Guest List Management
Bridebook provides guest list management where you can track RSVPs, plus-ones, and dietary requirements. The system helps you stay organized with your guest communications and collect the information you need for planning.
WedSites offers guest management designed for complex modern weddings. The household system groups families and couples together so they can RSVP as one unit. Organize guests into custom groups for planning and easy filtering.
Create A/B lists to manage large guest lists tactfully. The "Collect Guest Details" feature sends a custom form to gather email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses before sending save-the-dates.
Both platforms handle RSVPs and dietary requirements well. WedSites provides additional organizational structures (households, groups, A/B lists) that become valuable for larger or more complex guest situations.
Planning Tools Comparison
Bridebook offers solid core planning tools, all completely free:
- Personalized checklist that tells you exactly what to do and when, with the ability to add custom tasks
- Budget calculator based on real data from thousands of actual UK weddings, breaking down budget recommendations based on your preferences
- Guest list management with RSVP tracking
- Vendor search and shortlisting
- Partner collaboration with linked accounts and task assignment
- Wedding countdown tracker
These are genuinely useful planning tools, and the budget calculator's use of real UK wedding data is particularly smart for setting realistic expectations if you're planning a wedding in the UK.
WedSites Pro plan ($199) includes:
- Pre-populated checklist based on your wedding date with recommended deadlines, plus unlimited custom tasks
- Budget calculator with customizable expense categories, allocation tracking, and easy reallocation
- Vendor management with contacts, contracts, files, and notes in organized profiles
- Payment tracking linked directly to both vendor profiles and budget categories (three-way integration)
- Drag-and-drop seating chart using groups from your guest list with color-coded labels
- Timeline builder for day-of runsheet with virtual highlighter, notes for vendors and bridal party
Note that WedSites planning tools are only available on the Pro plan ($199). The Basic and Standard plans do not include them.
Bridebook provides excellent free planning tools for core needs. WedSites Pro adds payment tracking, seating charts, and timeline building at a cost of $199.
Privacy & Security
Bridebook offers password protection for your wedding website and lets you set a unique URL to prevent random discovery through search engines. This covers privacy needs effectively.
WedSites provides privacy controls including password protection for your entire site or specific pages, the ability to block search engines from indexing your wedding website completely, and granular control over information visibility. SSL certificates ensure your site is secure.
Both platforms handle privacy well for most couples' needs.
Who Should Choose WedSites
WedSites is a strong choice if you:
- Need payment tracking and financial tools: The Pro plan includes payment tracking, seating charts, and timeline builders that Bridebook doesn't offer
- Want integrated email tracking: See who opened your invitations and monitor delivery
- Have a bilingual or international wedding: Full multi-language support creates complete website versions
- Value design control: Extensive fonts and full CSS
- Need native custom domain integration: DNS control and SSL certificates
- Want email communication tools: Digital stationery with tracking and outbox history
- Don't need a vendor directory: Already found your vendors and need management, not discovery
- Want three-way financial integration: Payments connected to both vendors and budget categories
Keep in mind: WedSites planning tools require the $199 Pro plan, the platform has a smaller template library, there is no dedicated mobile app, and it has a smaller user base than Bridebook.
Who Should Choose Bridebook
Bridebook is a strong choice if you:
- Want completely free planning tools: Every feature is free with no paid tiers, making it accessible regardless of budget
- Are based in the UK: Their vendor directory has the strongest coverage in the UK, and their budget calculator uses real UK wedding data
- Prefer a native mobile app: Dedicated iOS and Android apps for planning on the go
- Value partner collaboration: Link accounts with your partner, assign tasks to each other, and plan together from separate devices
- Need vendor discovery: Finding venues and suppliers is a key part of your current planning stage
- Want real wedding data for budgeting: Their budget calculator uses data from thousands of actual UK weddings
- Prefer streamlined, free tools: Core planning features that cover most couples' needs without any cost
- Don't need email tracking or digital stationery: You're handling invitations and communications separately
- Want an established platform: Bridebook's large user base (1.9+ million weddings) means an established, proven platform
Making Your Decision
The core trade-off here is clear: Bridebook is completely free with a mobile app, vendor directory, and partner collaboration, making it an excellent starting point for any couple. WedSites offers deeper planning tools (payment tracking, seating charts, timeline builder), email tracking, and design customization at a cost of $39-$199. For UK-based couples, Bridebook's vendor directory and UK wedding data add particular value. We recommend trying both platforms to see which approach fits your wedding.
This comparison is based on publicly available information as of February 2025. Features and pricing may change. We recommend visiting both platforms to confirm current offerings before making your decision.