Weddings have entered the age of information, and pretty much all in-the-know couples are creating personal wedding websites to share with friends, family and the general population. Websites are great for sharing important information with guests (such as specific directions that won’t fit on the wedding invitation or registry information, which etiquette dictates should NEVER appear on the invitation) and keeping the far-away family and friends in the loop. It’s an easy way to let your aunt in who lives a couple hours away know what you’ve decided on for bridesmaid dresses or your sister in another town help you decide between centerpieces.

The first step to building a wedding website is figuring out where you’re going to put it. TheKnot.com offers free wedding websites with more than 40 designs to choose from. The sites are going to be simple, though, and the URL will start with www.theknot.com. Knot members can upgrade to a premium wedding website hosted by Wedding Tracker for 50 percent off. Wedding Tracker gives you a personal .com address and a much glitzier look. Other options include www.ewedding.com, www.momentville.com and www.myevent.com. Blogging is all the rage these days so one option is to set up your own blog. Wordpress is one of the most popular in the world with thousands of themes to choose from, you can sign up for a free account at www.wordpress.org. You can also purchase your own domain name and create your own site, if you have the web design skills.

Step two: Figure out what information you want to share. It could be as simple as an engagement photo with the basic information. Many brides like to provide multiple details to share with friends and other brides, and continually update the site up through and after the big day. Obviously you’ll want to includes the basics, but also consider including photos and extra information, such as where you’re registered, what activities are around your wedding location and what kind of wedding you’re planning to host. This gives guests extra information to plan their trip to your wedding.

Last, step three is to share your wedding website with the world. The easiest way to do so is to include a small card in your invitation sharing the URL. You can also e-mail selected friends and family members the link. If you’re a member of an online brides forum, many women include their web site in their “signatures” so other brides can browse their site and be inspired. Finally, make sure your immediate family and bridal party know the address so they can pass along the information if necessary.

About the Author: Randolph Quan is a UK based wedding photojournalist. You can follow Randolph on Twitter or check out his wedding photography here.