With Joy Wedding Invitations: Website Platform Guide

So You Wanna Use WithJoy for Wedding Invitations

Okay so WithJoy is basically this free wedding website platform that also handles digital invitations and honestly it’s kinda become huge in the past few years. I remember back in spring 2023 I had this bride Emily who was absolutely adamant about keeping costs down because they’d already blown their budget on the venue and she found WithJoy on her own before even coming to me. Smart girl actually.

The platform itself is super straightforward to set up. You go to withjoy.com and create an account with your names and wedding date. They’ll generate a custom URL for you like withjoy.com/emilyandmark which is… fine? It works. Some couples get weird about not having their own domain name but honestly most guests don’t care they just wanna know where to show up and what time.

Setting Up Your Basic Site

First thing you gotta do is pick a design template. WithJoy has maybe 15-20 templates and they range from minimalist to slightly-less-minimalist if I’m being honest. There’s not a ton of variety but that actually helps because couples don’t get overwhelmed with choices. The templates have names like “Classic” and “Modern” and “Garden” which umm… they mostly look the same with different fonts and maybe a floral accent here or there.

You can upload your engagement photos which I always recommend because it makes the site feel more personal and less like a generic form. The homepage usually features one big hero image so choose a good one. Not the one where you’re squinting into the sun or where his ex-girlfriend had to be cropped out trust me I’ve seen it all.

The navigation menu lets you add different pages and this is where it gets useful. You’ve got your standard options like Our Story, Wedding Party, Travel, Registry, Photos, and Q&A. I typically tell couples to actually fill out the Our Story section because guests do read it especially older relatives who love that stuff.

The Digital Invitation Feature

Here’s where WithJoy actually shines compared to other free platforms. The digital invitation system is built right in and it’s pretty robust. You can create save-the-dates and actual invitations within the platform and send them via email or text message.

The invitation builder lets you customize colors, fonts, add your photos, include all the event details with addresses that link directly to maps. You can create multiple events too like if you’re having a welcome party, ceremony, reception, and next-day brunch all as separate items with different times and locations.

One thing that really annoyed me though is that the font choices are super limited. Like maybe 10 fonts total and none of them are particularly elegant or sophisticated. If you’ve got a bride who’s been dreaming of her wedding having a specific aesthetic with like a romantic script font or something more editorial you’re gonna be disappointed. I had to talk Emily down from a full meltdown about this because she wanted everything in Garamond and WithJoy definitely doesn’t have Garamond.

RSVP Management

The RSVP system is honestly where WithJoy earns its keep. Guests can RSVP directly through the website or through the invitation link you send them. You can set up custom questions like meal preferences, dietary restrictions, song requests, whatever you want really.

The dashboard shows you in real-time who’s responded, who hasn’t, who’s bringing a plus-one. You can send reminder emails to people who haven’t responded which is a lifesaver because there are always those people who just… never respond. You know the type.

You can also manage your guest list within the platform, create groups for different invitation batches like family vs friends vs coworkers, and track addresses for people who you might send physical invitations to later or for thank-you cards.

My cat knocked over my coffee while I was setting up a WithJoy site last month and I almost lost it because I thought it spilled on my laptop but it somehow missed everything important anyway where was I…

Registry Integration

WithJoy lets you link to external registries from pretty much any major retailer. Amazon, Target, Crate & Barrel, Zola, whatever. You just paste the URL and it shows up on your registry page with a nice button that says “View Registry” or something.

Some couples also use the cash fund feature where guests can contribute money toward specific goals like a honeymoon or down payment on a house. It integrates with payment platforms so guests can send money directly. WithJoy doesn’t take a cut which is nice, though payment processors like PayPal or Venmo will have their usual fees.

Mobile App Situation

There’s a mobile app for couples to manage everything on the go which is actually pretty necessary because brides are constantly checking RSVPs at like 11pm on a Tuesday I’ve seen it a million times. The app is clean and functional, nothing fancy but it does what it needs to.

Guests don’t need to download an app though, they just access everything through the website link which is important because getting guests to download an app is like pulling teeth.

The Actual Invitation Design Limitations

So here’s the reality check. If you’re a bride who wants super custom, high-end looking invitations, WithJoy probably isn’t gonna cut it. The designs are nice but they’re definitely recognizable as templates. I can spot a WithJoy invite from a mile away now after seeing hundreds of them.

The customization is pretty surface-level, you can change colors and swap photos and edit text but you can’t like… redesign the layout or add custom graphics beyond your photos. If you want something that looks professionally designed with custom illustrations or a really specific layout you’re better off using a graphic designer and sending PDFs or going with a service like Greenvelope or Paperless Post which have more sophisticated designs but cost money.

What You Can Actually Customize

Color palette is the big one. You can usually choose accent colors that appear throughout the site and invitations. Upload your photos obviously. Edit all the text and wording. Choose which pages to include or hide on your website. Add custom questions to your RSVP form which I mentioned but it’s worth repeating because it’s actually super useful.

You can also add a custom domain if you pay for their premium upgrade but most couples don’t bother because it’s like $50 or something and the withjoy.com URL works fine.

Guest Communication Features

Beyond the initial invitation, you can send updates to your guest list through the platform. Like if you need to change the ceremony time or if there’s a COVID update or weather alert or whatever. The messages go out via email to everyone on your list or you can filter by who’s responded yes vs no.

There’s also a Q&A page where guests can submit questions and you can answer them publicly so everyone sees the answer. This cuts down on the same question being asked seventeen times like “Is there parking at the venue” or “Can I bring my kids”.

Combining WithJoy with Physical Invitations

Here’s what I actually recommend to most couples and it’s what Emily ended up doing. Use WithJoy for your save-the-dates and maybe a casual wedding website, but then send physical invitations for the actual wedding invite. You can still have people RSVP through the WithJoy website even if they received a paper invitation, you just include the website URL on the invitation or on a separate details card.

This gives you the best of both worlds because there’s still something special about receiving a beautiful invitation in the mail but you get all the convenience and tracking of digital RSVPs. Plus you can include all the detailed information on the website without cramming it onto insert cards.

Some older guests struggle with online RSVPs though so you might need to include a traditional RSVP card with postage for them or plan on getting phone calls from confused aunts.

The Premium Upgrade

WithJoy offers a premium plan that’s around $50 for the engagement period. It includes things like a custom domain, removing the WithJoy branding from the footer, some additional design options, and priority support.

Is it worth it? Ehh… depends on how much you care about branding and whether you want that custom domain. Most couples skip it because the free version does everything essential. I’ve never actually pushed a client to upgrade because the free features are solid enough.

Timeline for Setting Everything Up

You can honestly get a basic WithJoy site up and running in like 2-3 hours if you’ve got your photos ready and you know what you want to say. The invitation creation takes maybe another hour or two depending on how decisive you are about colors and wording.

I tell couples to launch their wedding website around the same time they send save-the-dates so maybe 6-8 months before the wedding. Then you can send the actual invitations through WithJoy or physical ones about 2-3 months out.

The RSVP deadline should be set for like 3-4 weeks before your wedding so you have time to get final counts to your caterer and create a seating chart which is a whole other nightmare but…

Things That Could Trip You Up

Guest list management can get messy if you’re not careful about how you enter people initially. Make sure you’re clear about whether someone gets a plus-one or not from the beginning because changing it later gets awkward. Also be careful with group invitations for families because you need to specify exactly who’s invited especially if there’s a no-kids policy.

The email notifications can be overwhelming honestly. Every time someone RSVPs you get an email and when responses start rolling in that’s like 50 emails a day. You can adjust notification settings but a lot of couples don’t realize this until they’re already drowning in notifications.

Photo upload size limits exist but they’re pretty generous. Just don’t try to upload like massive professional RAW files, export them as JPGs first.

Comparison to Other Platforms Real Quick

The Knot and Zola also offer free wedding websites with similar features. The Knot’s platform is fine but it feels more cluttered with ads and upsells for their vendor marketplace. Zola is sleeker design-wise and integrates really well with their registry system if you’re using that, but WithJoy’s interface is probably the most intuitive for less tech-savvy couples.

Minted and Paperless Post have more beautiful designs but you pay per invitation sent which adds up fast. Greenvelope is in the same boat, gorgeous designs but pricey.