Personal Wedding Website, Wedding Planner - Frequently Asked Questions

Start your free wedding website now!

General questions

What do I need to create my personal wedding website?: Just a computer with an internet connection and the basic skills to navigate around a web page. It's really easy - our system does all the work.
What features does my wedding website have?: All the features are listed on our features page.
Will you put ads on my website?: No.
I live in the USA. Can I still use Bridal Toolbox?: Bridal Toolbox is operated from Auckland, New Zealand. If you don't live here, we highly recommend that you visit our beautiful country at some point, but other than that, it doesn't matter where you live. We like you anyway. Even if you're Australian.
New Zealand? But isn't that in another galaxy? Won't my website be slow, having to travel all that distance?: Try it and see. Our demo site is hosted on the same server as all our other websites.
Do I need to find a website host for my wedding website?: No, we've arranged all the hosting at our end so you don't have to worry about it.
Will my website work on any computer?: You'll be able to see and edit your website on any computer that is connected to the internet, but the performance of your site will depend on the software you have installed. You will need to have javascript enabled in order to edit your site. (If you're not sure what that means, you probably don't need to worry about it.)
If you use an older browser, for example Internet Explorer 5 or Netscape 4, your site may not look that great. We don't support these browsers any more, and neither should you, they are a huge security risk!
If I run into problems using Bridal Toolbox, what do I do?: Don't panic, help is on the way! Use the form on our contact page to get in touch with us for any reason and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
My friend has a Bridal Toolbox website but I can't remember the address. How do I find it?: You can find the site by entering some details on our find a site page.
I like your website. Can I put a link to it on my website?: Absolutely! Many people choose to link to us by displaying our Wedding Tip of the Day on their website. A new tip every day keeps visitors coming back to your site as well as linking to ours. Click through to our Google gadget for some code you can copy and paste.
I run a wedding business too. Will you link to my website?: We don't provide a links page on our website simply because most wedding businesses are locally based and our site visitors are from many different countries. However if you have a wedding planning tip to share, we'll happily feature it (along with your website link) on Wedding Tip of the Day. See our share a tip page for more details.

Getting started

When should I start my website, and what time frame should I plan to keep it for?: To get the best use out of our planning tools, you'll want to get started as early as possible. Our checklist feature will help you plan everything right from the start, and you'll probably also want to start entering the names of potential guests as you think of them. On the other hand, if you just want to use the site to display information to your guests, then probably 4-6 months in advance is a good time to get everything together.
After the wedding, leave enough time for you to get back from your honeymoon, upload your photos, send all your thanks, and put the final touches on your website to save to CD.
How long does it take to make a wedding website?: It really depends on how much effort you want to put into it. You can make it as simple or as detailed as you like, and there is no limit as to how much information you can include in your virtual scrapbook. If you wanted to just get something up and running quickly, you could easily have a professional-looking basic site up in an hour or so.
How much does it cost?: There are a bunch of different options, including a completely free version. All the pricing details are available on the pricing page.
What forms of payment are available?: Our bank accepts payment by Visa and Mastercard in a range of different currencies. If for any reason you are unable to pay by credit card or having difficulty with our payment system, please contact us and we'll make sure things work out.
Can I purchase my website straight away, or do I have to go through the free trial period?: You can purchase at any point after starting the free trial. To do so, click on 'Manage Account' under the 'Admin' menu inside your wedding planner.
What do I do if I just want to use the free version?: To use the free version, you will still need to sign up for the 10 day trial. During the trial period you can try out all the features of the full website, and if that's still not enough to convince you to upgrade, you will automatically be switched to the restricted free version once the trial is up.
How long does the free version of the wedding website last for?: You can use the free version of the website for a year from the day your 10 day trial period ends.
When my trial period ends, what happens to all the stuff I've already done?: All your work will be saved in our database and your account will be switched to the restricted free version. If a page you were working on during the trial isn't included in the free version, you won't be able to access it, but it'll still be there should you decide to upgrade.
What if I opt for the free version and then decide later that I want to upgrade?: That's no problem. All the details you have entered will carry over to the full version. The expiry date of your account will be calculated based on the day you made the purchase.
What happens if I need the account for longer than I originally thought?: You can purchase a six month extension to your account. Visit the pricing page to see more details.
Can I create a website to display the photos after my wedding?: Of course, you can create a wedding website at any time. If all you need to do is display your photos - don't tell our accountant we said this - you will probably find our free version is the way to go.
How long will it be before my website becomes available on the internet?: Your website will be live on the internet as soon as you have activated your free trial.

Website editing

How do I edit my pages? Do I need to know any special coding language?: There's no coding involved - we're the geeks so you don't have to be! Editing your pages is as easy as filling out a form on any website. You can also use our special text editor to change the size, color, alignment and other features of your text.
How often can I update my website?: Whenever you like. There's no limit to how many changes you can make.
How long does it take for my changes to show up on the internet?: Your changes will appear as soon as you have made them.
What if I haven't finished a page and I don't want people to see it yet?: All the pages except the home page have an option to show or hide from the public, so you can release them when they are ready. They are visible to you at all times. (This feature is not available in the free version.)
Can I choose a different template design once I've started editing?: Absolutely. You can change your template at any time. All your details will be transferred to the new template.
How do I upload photos to my website?: Wherever there is an option to upload photos, you will see a text box with a button at the end saying 'Browse' or 'Choose File'. Click the button and locate the photo on your computer, then press Enter to select it for uploading.
What format do my photos need to be in?: The website will accept photos in the formats .gif, .jpg, .jpeg and .png at a maximum size of 1.5MB in the photo gallery and 400KB on other pages. If your photos fall outside of these specifications, you will need to edit them in an image editing program before uploading.
Can I replace or delete the photos once I've uploaded them?: To replace a photo, simply upload the new photo over the top of the old one. You can also delete a photo entirely, although if it's really that bad you probably shouldn't have put it there in the first place!
The popup windows in my site aren't displaying properly. What's wrong with them?: Some popup blocking software can be a little over-zealous with popups you actually want! You might need to adjust the settings of your popup blocker to allow the windows on your wedding website to display correctly.

Website tools

Can I just use the photo album and virtual scrapbook without the planning tools?: Of course - you can use (or not use) whichever parts of the website suit your needs.
I have the website addresses of gift regsitries I've set up. How do these fit in?: You can create links to any store's online registry from your website. A space is also available for you to provide your guests with the password. This is a great way to let people know what you want without having to include registry information with your invitations.
I've exported my guest list to a file, now what do I do with it?: Once you have exported your guest list, you can use the Mail Merge option in Microsoft Word or some other program to create and print invitations, envelopes and place cards. If you're not quite sure how it works, there are plenty of basic tutorials on the internet. The Microsoft website is a pretty good place to start. Just click 'Use an existing list' and browse to the .csv file you downloaded when the program asks you to select recipients.
Can I change the automatically generated RSVP codes for my guests?: You can change the RSVP codes by clicking on the guest's name in the guest list. You may prefer to make up some more interesting passwords for your guests, or perhaps use their last names to make it easier. Guests that share the same code will be able to RSVP online for any other guest with that code, so don't make them all the same unless you're prepared for the ensuing chaos.
What is the purpose of the extra guest list columns?: You can add extra columns to your guest list as well as the event columns which are there by default. You can use these extra columns to record more information about your guests, for instance how many of them are vegetarian, or don't drink alcohol, or require a babysitter during the ceremony. The extra columns are for your use only and do not come up on the online RSVP.
Can I get appointment reminders by text message in my country?: Enter your mobile number here to check if SMS reminders are available on your phone network:

(your number will not be stored) Sorry, the SMS reminder service is not available in the USA.
What do I do if I'm not receiving appointment reminders, or I'm getting them at the wrong time?: If you're not receiving the reminders at all, check that your mobile phone number is correct, including your country code, and that the service is available in your country. If they're arriving at the wrong time, make sure you have the correct timezone selected on your Account Management page. We do our best to make sure they reach you when they should, but once we've scheduled them with the service provider, there's not much more we can do. Messages scheduled less than an hour in advance will probably not be sent.
How do I know when someone has submitted an RSVP on the website?: When you set up online RSVP you can choose to be sent an email whenever one of your guests submits an RSVP.

Website access

What will my website address be?: Your website address will be in the format www.***.bridaltoolbox.com, where the *** is a subdomain of your choice.
How do I choose what my subdomain will be?: You can choose whatever you like for your subdomain as long as your choice is not already taken. A popular option is <bride>and<groom>, for example hannahandsimon, which would give the website address www.hannahandsimon.bridaltoolbox.com. You will need to choose your subdomain when you set up your account.
What's the difference between a domain and a subdomain?: The subdomain is the part of the website address that comes before 'bridaltoolbox.com' in the example above. This is the default way of setting up your website address. Another way would be to buy your own domain name, for example www.hannahandsimon.com, which doesn't include the bridaltoolbox part.
Can I buy my own domain name to use as my website address?: Yes you can. As long as the domain name you want is available, we can organize to have it set up for your website. Check the pricing page for more details.
Can I use a domain name that I already own?: Yes, you can even set this up yourself by following the instructions on the Account Management page of your website. If you have trouble, please contact us for help.
How long will it take to get a domain name up and running?: It normally takes a few hours for the internet to connect your new domain name with your website, but it can sometimes take a day or more. In the meantime you and your guests can access the site using your subdomain www.***.bridaltoolbox.com. If you have set up a domain name more than two days ago and it still isn't working, please contact us and we'll figure it out.
What happens to my domain name when I finish with my website?: If you want to keep the domain name, you'll need to let us know before it expires and we'll transfer it over to you, which means you will then be responsible for the annual renewal fee and any other maintenance associated with it. The transfer process costs around $20-$30 but this amount is usually credited towards your first annual renewal. If you'd rather avoid this fee, you can of course purchase the domain in your own name to begin with. If you decide you don't want to keep the domain name, you don't need to do anything, we'll just let it expire when its time comes.
How will my guests find my website?: The easiest and most reliable way to make sure your guests find your site is for you to tell them the address! Print it on your save-the-date cards, your invitations and your thank yous. Email them all a link, so they don't have to type it themselves. Your website includes a bulk email tool which makes it easy for you to spread the word.

Keepsake CD

What is included on the keepsake CD?: When you order your CD, you can select the pages you would like to save from your website. Your CD will be labelled to match the template you've chosen and delivered in a stylish tin case (you can choose between a round or square case).
Will my website look the same on CD as it does on the internet?: Yes, except that you won't be able to edit anything, so all the editing tools and buttons won't be visible. So do make sure that you've finished with your site before you purchase your CD!
What operating systems does the CD work with?: Your website will be saved in HTML format, so it will work in any web browser. Depending on your system settings it may or may not start automatically when you insert the CD, but full instructions are included so you can open it regardless.
Where can I have my CD shipped to?: Anywhere (on earth). And it's free!
How much does it cost?: Check the pricing page for details.
Can I order multiple copies of my site on CD?: Of course. You can choose the quantity when you order. If you'd like to make a bulk order of CDs without tin cases, please contact us for a quote.