WedSites vs WeddingWire

Weighing your wedding planning platform options? Both WedSites and WeddingWire offer wedding tools, but their focuses and strengths are quite different.

WeddingWire has been a major player in the wedding industry since its founding, and after merging with The Knot in 2019 to form The Knot Worldwide, it became one of the largest wedding brands in America. Known primarily for its massive vendor directory connecting couples with over 250,000 wedding professionals, WeddingWire also offers free wedding websites, guest list management, RSVP tracking, planning tools, and active community forums. It's particularly popular with couples who prioritize vendor discovery and reviews.

WedSites takes a different approach. It's 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 WeddingWire excels at helping you find and book vendors, WedSites focuses on helping you plan, communicate with guests, and stay organized throughout your engagement. If you're looking for those kinds of integrated features, let's see how the two compare.

Quick Comparison

Pricing Comparison

WeddingWire's wedding website and planning tools are completely free, which is appealing for budget-conscious couples. Custom domains are available for approximately $20 per year. WeddingWire generates revenue primarily through vendor advertising and lead generation, which allows them to offer free tools to couples. This model means WeddingWire can provide free access to a large vendor directory, community forums, and planning tools without any upfront cost.

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 permanently after your wedding. Note that WedSites planning tools (budget, vendors, seating, timeline) require the Pro plan at $199.

Both models have their merits. WeddingWire's free tier is genuinely valuable for couples who need planning basics and vendor discovery. WedSites' one-time pricing makes sense for couples who want digital stationery with email tracking, multi-language support, and integrated planning features. If you'd use a custom domain on WeddingWire, the annual renewal is an ongoing cost to factor in.

Custom Domain & Technical Capabilities

WeddingWire offers custom domain purchases for approximately $20 per year. They handle the registration process, which is convenient for couples who don't want to deal with DNS configuration.

WedSites provides native custom domain integration with DNS configuration and custom SSL certificates at no additional cost. If you already own a domain from any registrar, you can connect it directly to WedSites using DNS records. WedSites provides secure SSL certificates automatically.

For couples who already own a domain and want full control, WedSites offers more technical flexibility. For couples who prefer a simple setup, WeddingWire's managed approach keeps things easy.

Design Flexibility & Customization

WeddingWire provides wedding website templates with some customization options. You can change font styles and colors for different sections, though you cannot control font sizes. The font options are those available within the template, and custom font uploads aren't available. Custom CSS capability has not been confirmed.

WedSites offers design control across multiple dimensions, though with a smaller template library. The font library includes hundreds of typefaces. WedSites supports full custom CSS, giving you control over every visual element of your site.

You can switch between design templates at any time without losing your content or customizations. Many couples start with one design and change to another as their wedding style evolves, and all their carefully crafted content transfers seamlessly.

Multi-Language Support

WeddingWire doesn't offer multi-language website capabilities. If you're having a bilingual or multicultural wedding, you'll need to manually create content in multiple languages within your pages.

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.

This is valuable for multicultural weddings. When your Spanish-speaking family can navigate your entire site in Spanish while your English-speaking friends use English, everyone feels welcomed and informed. Everything from RSVP submissions to guestbook messages works perfectly in both languages.

Digital Stationery & Guest Communication

WeddingWire focuses on vendor connections, community forums, and website hosting. It doesn't include a digital stationery platform. If you want to send save-the-dates or invitations digitally, you'll need to use a separate service like Paperless Post or design your own, and manage tracking separately.

WedSites Standard and Pro plans include a digital stationery platform integrated with your wedding website and guest list. Create save-the-dates and invitations that match your website design, customize the wording, and send them directly through the platform.

Every email you send is tracked automatically. See who opened it, who clicked through to your website, and who needs a reminder. This tracking integrates directly with your guest list, so you always know each guest's communication status. Save email drafts for messages you're working on and access your complete outbox history.

The stationery tracking feature records every communication in each guest's profile automatically. You'll never wonder "Did I send them a save-the-date?" because it's all documented. This integration eliminates the spreadsheet management of using separate platforms for websites and invitations.

Guest List & RSVP Management

WeddingWire provides a guest list system where you can add guests, track RSVPs, and manage responses. Their mobile app makes it convenient to check RSVPs on the go. It works well for straightforward weddings.

WedSites offers a guest database with additional organizational features designed for complex modern weddings. The household system groups families and couples together so they can RSVP as one unit, useful for families with children or couples with plus-ones. Organize guests into custom groups like "Work Friends" or "Family" for strategic planning and easy filtering.

Create A/B lists to manage large guest lists tactfully. Send invitations to your priority guests first, then invite your B-list as you receive regrets, all tracked seamlessly without manual spreadsheet management.

The "Collect Guest Details" feature streamlines the early planning phase. Send a custom form to friends and family to gather email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses before sending save-the-dates. It's more elegant than texting everyone for addresses and ensures your database is accurate from the start.

Stationery tracking happens automatically in your guest list. You'll see exactly when you sent each guest their save-the-date and invitation, making it easy to follow up with people who haven't responded.

Planning Tools

WeddingWire offers planning tools including a checklist, budget tracker, and seating tool, all available for free. Their mobile app makes it easy to manage tasks on the go. The platform also includes active wedding forums where couples can ask questions and get advice from others who've been through the process. WeddingWire's real strength is in its vendor directory and community -- over 250,000 vendors with reviews from real couples.

WedSites Pro plan ($199) includes additional planning tools:

Pre-Populated Checklist: Generates based on your wedding date with recommended deadlines. Add unlimited custom tasks and reminders 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 your priorities shift.

Vendor Management: Store all vendor contacts, contracts, files, and notes in organized profiles. The key difference from WeddingWire: WedSites helps you manage vendors you've already chosen, while WeddingWire helps you discover and research new ones. These are complementary strengths -- some couples use WeddingWire for vendor discovery and WedSites for ongoing vendor management.

Payment Tracking: Set up payment reminders linked directly to vendor profiles and budget categories. When you create a payment for your caterer, it automatically connects to your "Catering" budget line and your caterer's vendor profile. This three-way integration provides financial visibility.

Seating Chart: 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. Switch between label views — group, dietary, age, country, and more — to see different guest details. Print your chart for your venue coordinator.

Timeline Builder: Create your day-of wedding runsheet with time blocks for every event. Use the virtual highlighter to mark critical moments, add notes for vendors and your bridal party, and print copies so everyone stays on schedule.

The Vendor Question

WeddingWire is one of the largest vendor marketplaces in the wedding industry. With over 250,000 wedding professionals in their directory, extensive reviews from real couples, and vendor search tools, they're genuinely excellent at helping couples find and book vendors. The ability to read reviews, compare pricing, and contact multiple vendors in your area can save significant time during the research phase. This is a major, legitimate strength.

WedSites doesn't include a vendor directory. The platform isn't designed to help you find vendors. Instead, it helps you manage the vendors you've already chosen with organized contact profiles, payment tracking, and timeline coordination. The vendor management tools are about staying organized with your team, not discovering new vendors.

If you're in the early stages and need to find a photographer or caterer, WeddingWire's directory is genuinely helpful. Once you've booked your team, WedSites' management tools become more valuable for day-to-day planning. Some couples use both platforms at different stages of their planning.

Privacy & Security

WeddingWire offers password protection for your wedding website, which covers fundamental privacy needs.

WedSites provides additional privacy controls including password protection for your entire site or specific pages, the ability to block search engines from indexing your wedding website (keeping it off Google), and granular control over information visibility. Custom SSL certificates ensure your site is secure, especially when collecting guest information through RSVP forms.

Who Should Choose WedSites

WedSites is a strong choice if you:

• Want integrated guest communication: Send tracked save-the-dates and invitations connected to your guest list database
• Have a bilingual or multicultural wedding: Multi-language support creates complete website versions in different languages
• Value design flexibility: Extensive fonts, full CSS control, and template switching without losing work
• Prefer one-time payments: Pay once instead of annual domain renewal fees
• Want native DNS integration: Full custom domain control with SSL certificates
• Need planning tools integrated together: Payment tracking linked to vendors and budget, seating charts linked to guest groups
• Don't need a vendor directory: You've already found your vendors and need help managing them

Keep in mind that WedSites has no vendor directory, no mobile app, no community forums, no built-in gift registry, and a smaller template library and user base compared to WeddingWire.

Who Should Choose WeddingWire

WeddingWire is a strong choice if you:

• Need vendor discovery: Their directory of 250,000+ wedding professionals with reviews and ratings is one of the largest in the industry, making it invaluable for finding and comparing vendors in your area
• Want vendor reviews and ratings: Reading detailed experiences from other couples can help inform your vendor decisions and avoid potential issues
• Value community advice: Their active wedding forums provide a space to ask questions, get advice, and learn from couples who've recently planned weddings
• Want everything free: WeddingWire's free tier includes a wedding website, checklist, budget tracker, guest list, RSVP management, seating tool, and mobile app -- all at no cost
• Prefer a mobile app: WeddingWire's iOS and Android apps let you manage planning tasks, check RSVPs, and browse vendors on the go
• Are already in The Knot/WeddingWire ecosystem: Since WeddingWire merged with The Knot in 2019, staying within one ecosystem gives you access to a shared vendor network
• Want established brand recognition: WeddingWire is a well-known name in the wedding industry with a large, active user community

Making Your Decision

WeddingWire and WedSites serve different needs and can even complement each other. WeddingWire excels at vendor discovery, community advice, and providing a full set of free planning tools. WedSites excels at digital stationery with email tracking, multi-language support, integrated payment and vendor management, and one-time pricing with permanent website retention. Consider what matters most for your wedding, and try both platforms to see which fits your planning style.

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.