It started as a bit of a side project to our main business. Something small, manageable, a “what if we built this thing?” kind of idea. Plenty of wedding website options existed, but none that felt truly local, warm, or affordable. Everything looked like it was designed by the same person, made to be as minimalistic as possible. So we got to work on providing our own option.
This is the story of how we built a wedding website platform, as a couple, and what that looked like behind the scenes.
When we got married, Ato made a wedding website to help make the entire planning process easier. Ever since then, we always wanted to build our own service for other couples and have them experience the stress-free solution a wedding website can be.
Existing websites for weddings often lacked the local context, flexibility, and affordability required by African couples. Recognising this, we set out to create something unique looking, and most of all functional: a dedicated digital platform that addressed the needs of our target audience, while maintaining accessibility and looking good.
identifying the problem
Many existing digital wedding invitation services were either overly generic or did not accommodate the diverse cultural nuances prevalent in African weddings. For instance, we had 2 ceremonies and we found that a lot of the options simply didn’t have support for this.
So we spent time talking to engaged couples. We asked what mattered. And the answers were clear: RSVPs needed to be simple. Event details needed to be easy to add and share. The site had to look good on mobile. And, of course, it had to feel like their style, not like a generic wedding website template copy-pasted from Pinterest.
This feedback informed everything. We took it on board and designed three ready-to-go templates (including one specifically for destination weddings) and will continue to develop options for as many different types of customers as possible.
product development is no joke
The product’s original vision began as a simple template that couples can populate themselves. I thought it would take 1 month to build (Ato made the one for our wedding in just over a day), but it quickly evolved into a robust, comprehensive platform with multiple features. We focused primarily on user-centric design and functionality, ensuring ease of use for couples and their guests. Our wedding websites include integrated RSVP functionality, customisable event details, a registry link, and countdown timers.
We’ve since launched with three distinct template options: a classic version, an African inspired traditional variant, and one specifically for destination weddings.
the (many) challenges
The journey from idea to launch was not without challenges, and definitely not as straightforward as we thought it might be. Initially, we anticipated a shorter development period, because we had smaller scope. However, evolving feature requirements, technical challenges, and resource constraints significantly extended our timeline to well over 6 months now!
And during that time we learned a lot. About marketing, about product feedback, and yes, about working together as co-creators and co-founders (while still trying to enjoy date night without talking about bugs).
Our initial approach of providing templates via Etsy also evolved into developing a streamlined, user-friendly platform where couples can create a free demo version of their site and checkout if they want to. This required significantly more backend development and infrastructure planning than originally intended. Balancing product refinement, user experience, and technical functionality required careful project management and iterative development.
The latest challenge is marketing. For so long we focused on building, iterating and perfecting that we overestimated how simply the value is communicated to couples that have no idea about wedding websites. (You’d think features such as digital RSVP, registry links and more would be self explanatory)! But like any challenge so far, it isn’t impossible and with enough time I’m sure we will overcome it too!
what we believe sets our platform apart
Unlike free or generic templates available online, our platform emphasises design, intuitive user experience, and thoughtful celebration of the couple. Engaged couples can share their unique stories, event details, registry links, venue information, and other critical planning details- all on one easily accessible digital invitation. This was the main goal for us and we are happy to say we delivered. Moreover, the platform considers the diversity and cultural richness inherent in African weddings, making it an inclusive and locally relevant solution.
lessons learned
The most significant lessons from this process involved the necessity for clear project scoping, effective communication, and detailed planning. By better defining project goals and timelines upfront, future development cycles can be managed more efficiently.
Despite these challenges, the extended development period allowed for a whole lot of testing, feedback, and optimisation. All ensuring that the final platform exceeded at least our initial expectations.
moving forward
Now that we’ve built the product, our focus is growing it. We’re connecting with wedding planners, investing in SEO, and creating new content to help couples plan better and stress less. We’re also working on some new invitation styles that cater to more cultures, preferences and couples.
The platform continues to evolve, but the mission stays the same: make wedding websites that look good, work well, and take one big thing off your plate.
try it for yourself
We’d love for you to check out our wedding website invitation options. Whether you’re looking for a template that will get you set up in minutes or something completely custom for your big day. Visit our Wedding Invitations page to browse what’s available or DM us if you’re looking for something way more custom and personal to you.
We even have a free demo option you can use to get a preview of what your completed invitation will look like. It’s free and takes a couple of minutes to complete, why not?