WedSites vs Minted
Deciding between wedding planning platforms? Both WedSites and Minted offer wedding websites, but they come from very different backgrounds with different focuses and strengths.
Minted is a well-regarded design marketplace connecting couples with independent artists to create beautiful paper goods. Their wedding website offering is a free complement to their stationery business, with optional custom URL upgrades at $15/year. As an incentive, Minted offers a $50 credit toward their designer wedding stationery when you use their website -- a genuine bonus for couples planning to order printed materials. With matching invitation suites for all website designs and connections to their extensive stationery catalog, they appeal to couples who prioritize beautiful design and want their digital and printed materials to match seamlessly.
WedSites is a wedding-focused planning platform built around integrated tools: digital stationery with email tracking, multi-language support, and planning features like timeline builders, payment tracking, and seating charts. While Minted excels at design and printed goods, WedSites focuses on planning depth and guest communication. Here's how the two platforms compare.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | WedSites | Minted |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $39 Basic, $99 Standard, $199 Pro (one-time) | Free (custom URL $15/year, premium $35 one-time) |
| Design Quality | ✅ Professional templates | ✅ Independent artist-curated designs |
| Custom Domain | ✅ Native DNS + SSL certificates included | ⚠️ Custom URL $15/year renewal |
| Font Selection | ✅ Extensive font library | ✅ Template fonts with font size control |
| Custom CSS | ✅ Full design control | ❌ Not available |
| Switch Templates | ✅ Anytime without losing content | ✅ Matching invitation suites available |
| Independent Artist Designs | Template-based designs | ✅ Independent artist marketplace |
| Privacy Controls | ✅ Password protection, SEO blocking | ✅ Password protection available |
| Multi-Language | ✅ Full website translation | ❌ Not available |
| Digital Stationery | ✅ Included with Standard/Pro | ⚠️ Focus on physical stationery |
| Email Tracking | ✅ Opens, clicks, delivery monitoring | ❌ Not available |
| Paper Stationery | ❌ Digital-only platform | ✅ Matching paper invitations and stationery |
| Stationery Credit | ❌ No stationery offering | ✅ $50 credit towards Minted stationery |
| Email Drafts & Outbox | ✅ Complete email management | ❌ Not available |
| RSVP Management | ✅ Multi-event, custom questions | ✅ Name search and RSVP |
| Guest List | ✅ Households, groups, A/B lists | ✅ Separate lists for different events |
| Collect Guest Details | ✅ Custom form to gather info | ❌ Not available |
| Stationery Tracking | ✅ Track what you sent to each guest | ❌ Not available |
| Planning Checklist | ✅ Pro: Pre-populated + custom tasks | ❌ Not included |
| Budget Tracker | ✅ Pro: Expense categories & tracking | ❌ Not included |
| Vendor Management | ✅ Pro: Contacts, files, payments | ❌ Not included |
| Payment Tracking | ✅ Pro: Links to vendors & budget | ❌ Not available |
| Registry Management | ❌ Links to external registries | ✅ Link all registries + cash funds |
| Seating Chart | ✅ Pro: Drag-and-drop with groups | ❌ Not included |
| Timeline Builder | ✅ Pro: Day-of runsheet with highlighter | ❌ Not available |
| Wedding Concierge | ❌ Not offered | ✅ $49 consultation available |
Pricing Comparison
Minted's wedding website is completely free, which makes it attractive for budget-conscious couples, especially those planning to purchase Minted's designer stationery. Custom URLs cost $15 per year. The premium upgrade ($35 one-time) adds features like expanded photo galleries. Optional wedding concierge consultations cost $49 to meet with a wedding expert for personalization advice. The $50 stationery credit is a genuine benefit for couples who would have ordered Minted stationery anyway, effectively making the website a value-add to their stationery purchase.
WedSites offers three tiers with one-time payments:
- Basic Plan: A one-time payment of $39 gets you started with core website features
- Standard Plan: A one-time payment of $99 includes digital stationery, email tracking, and advanced guest management
- Pro Plan: A one-time payment of $199 unlocks the full planning suite with checklist, budget, vendors, payment tracking, seating chart, and timeline builder
There are no recurring charges with WedSites, and your website remains accessible after your wedding. Note that WedSites planning tools (budget, vendors, seating, timeline) require the Pro plan at $199.
Minted's free offering is genuinely free if you don't need a custom URL or planning tools. Their business model works well for couples already planning to purchase their designer stationery: a beautiful free website that matches their paper goods, plus a $50 credit that offsets stationery costs.
WedSites makes money by providing planning tools. If you want planning depth beyond a website, WedSites provides it. If you primarily want a website to complement your Minted stationery order, their free offering is a natural fit.
The Stationery Connection -- Minted's Core Strength
Minted is a design and stationery marketplace connecting couples with independent artists. This is genuinely their strength, and it's a significant one. Their wedding website feature is designed to complement their beautiful stationery offerings, with matching website designs for all their invitation suites. When you create a Minted wedding website, you get a $50 credit toward their stationery -- an incentive that makes sense if you're planning to order printed invitations, save-the-dates, programs, or other paper goods.
Their designer marketplace features work from independent artists, giving you access to unique, high-quality designs you won't find elsewhere. For couples who prioritize aesthetically cohesive printed and digital materials from talented independent designers, this integration is a real advantage.
WedSites doesn't sell stationery. The platform offers integrated digital stationery (save-the-dates and invitations you can send via email with tracking), but no physical products. WedSites digital stationery includes email tracking, so you can see who opened your save-the-date and who clicked through to RSVP.
These are genuinely different approaches: Minted provides a free website that's part of a stationery ecosystem, while WedSites provides planning tools for a one-time fee.
Custom Domain & Website Builder Experience
Minted offers custom URL upgrades for $15 per year. This gets you a branded URL instead of the default couplename.minted.us format.
WedSites provides native custom domain integration with DNS configuration and custom SSL certificates included at no additional cost. The website builder is designed specifically for wedding websites with auto-save, intuitive editing, and the ability to switch templates without losing your content.
The font library includes hundreds of typefaces. WedSites supports full custom CSS, giving you control over every visual element. WedSites has a smaller template library than Minted, so there are fewer starting designs to choose from, though Minted's designs come from their independent artist community which gives them a distinctive aesthetic quality.
Multi-Language Support
Minted doesn't offer multi-language website capabilities. For bilingual or multicultural weddings, you'd need to manually create content in multiple languages, which makes navigation harder for guests.
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 is valuable. When your Vietnamese-speaking family can navigate your entire site in Vietnamese while your English-speaking friends use English, everyone feels welcomed.
Digital Communication & Email Tracking
Minted focuses on physical stationery rather than digital communication tools. Their platform doesn't include digital save-the-dates or invitations with tracking capabilities. Couples who want digital communications would use a separate service alongside Minted.
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 exactly 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. The stationery tracking feature records every piece of communication in each guest's profile automatically. You'll never wonder what you sent to whom because it's all documented.
Guest List & RSVP Management
Minted provides guest list management where guests search for their name and follow prompts to RSVP. You can create separate guest lists for different wedding events, including private events like rehearsal dinners. Their registry feature lets you link all gift registries in one place and create cash funds.
WedSites offers guest management designed for complex modern weddings. The household system groups families and couples together so they can RSVP as one unit, ensuring the whole family appears on a single RSVP form. Organize guests into custom groups for strategic 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.
You can export your guest list data whenever you need it. This data portability matters when you need to use your guest list with other services or keep records after your wedding.
Planning Tools
Minted doesn't include planning tools like checklists, budget trackers, vendor management, payment tracking, seating charts, or timeline builders. Their optional wedding concierge service ($49) provides a consultation with a wedding expert, which can be helpful for personalization advice. The platform's focus is on the website and stationery connection.
WedSites Pro plan ($199) includes a planning suite:
Pre-Populated Checklist: Generates automatically based on your wedding date with recommended deadlines. Add unlimited custom tasks for your unique to-dos.
Budget Calculator: Expense tracking with customizable categories. See allocations, spending, and remaining funds at a glance. Reallocate between categories as priorities shift.
Vendor Management: Store all vendor contacts, contracts, files, and notes in organized profiles. Note that WedSites does not include a vendor directory -- you'll find vendors through other channels and manage them here.
Payment Tracking: Set up payment reminders linked directly to vendor profiles and budget categories. When you create a payment for your photographer, it automatically connects to your "Photography" budget line and your photographer's vendor profile.
Seating Chart Builder: Drag-and-drop tool using the groups from your guest list. Each guest gets a color-coded label based on their group for easy identification.
Timeline Builder: Create your day-of wedding runsheet with time blocks for every event. Use the virtual highlighter to mark critical moments and print copies for your entire team.
Privacy & Security
Minted offers password protection for your wedding website, covering privacy needs.
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, and granular control over information visibility. Custom SSL certificates ensure your site is secure.
Who Should Choose WedSites
WedSites is a strong choice if you:
- Need planning tools in one place: The Pro plan includes checklist, budget, vendors, payment tracking, seating chart, and timeline builder that Minted doesn't offer
- Want integrated email tracking: See who opened your digital invitations and monitor delivery
- Have a bilingual or international wedding: Full multi-language support creates complete website versions
- Need advanced guest organization: Households, groups, A/B lists, plus the ability to export your guest data
- Want extensive design control: Extensive fonts and full CSS
- Prefer digital stationery over physical: WedSites' digital stationery with tracking is integrated into the platform
- Want one-time pricing: Pay once instead of annual URL renewals
Keep in mind that WedSites has no physical stationery offering, no independent artist marketplace, no mobile app, a smaller template library, and no built-in gift registry.
Who Should Choose Minted
Minted is a strong choice if you:
- Want matching paper and digital stationery: Their core strength is cohesive design across printed invitations and your wedding website, all from the same independent artist
- Value independent artist designs: Minted's award-winning marketplace features unique, high-quality designs from independent artists you won't find elsewhere
- Plan to order printed invitations: The $50 stationery credit makes their free website genuinely valuable, effectively subsidizing your stationery purchase
- Appreciate a design-focused aesthetic: Their artist-curated templates offer a distinctive, professionally designed look with a creative flair
- Want a free website: Don't need planning tools and are comfortable with the default URL or $15/year for custom
- Trust an established design brand: Minted has a proven track record in premium wedding stationery and design, with a reputation for quality
- Don't need extensive planning features: Comfortable using separate tools for budget tracking, timelines, and vendor management
- Want a wedding concierge: The $49 consultation option provides personalized advice from a wedding expert
Making Your Decision
Minted and WedSites serve different needs. Minted excels at beautiful independent artist designs, cohesive print-and-digital stationery, and a generous $50 credit toward paper goods -- all for free. WedSites excels at planning tools, digital stationery with email tracking, multi-language support, and one-time pricing. If your priority is gorgeous printed stationery with a matching website, Minted is a natural fit. If your priority is integrated planning tools and guest communication, WedSites is worth exploring. We recommend trying both to see which fits your wedding.
This comparison is based on publicly available information as of February 2025. Features and pricing for both platforms may have changed since publication. We recommend visiting both platforms to confirm current offerings before making your decision.