What a site
BY RONDA ADDY

Through a little something called the Internet, you can now share your wedding with friends and family all over the world. You can do this by setting up a wedding Web site. Let's take a look at the benefits of such of a site and the procedure for making one.

A wedding Web site is a great place to post all of your wedding details in one place and include those far away in the wedding planning without the cost of long-distance bills. Prior to the wedding, you can include an events calendar listing all of your wedding activities, maps and directions for out-oftown guests, gift registry information and links to online shopping. If you need to make changes, you can notify guests right away on the site, as well as provide them with an easy way to RSVP online. After the wedding, you can post wedding pictures and provide a place for others to share their thoughts and pictures.

Having a wedding Web site sounds like fun, but how do you go about setting one up? You have two options. You can either set up your own site or you can hire a professional to do it for you.

If you have the technical know-how to set up your own site, the first thing you need to do is find a host. Most companies that host Web sites do so for a monthly fee. However, there are some that host sites for free. To make money, they rely on pop-ups or banner advertisements, which they place on your site and others'. For those on a budget, this may be the best way to go. Using a templatebased Web site service is another option. You choose the style and colors of your site from pre-designed templates, submit your information through an online form and it is posted immediately. Many of these services will even allow you to download digital photos. There is a cost, though. Most services charge a fee after an initial trial period.

For those who want to go all out, they can have their Web site custom designed. If this is the direction you want to take, find a local Web designer whom you can meet in person to work out the details. Otherwise, you will have to fill out a series of questionnaires for a service that will work with you to create your site. With a custom Web site, you can choose the theme, graphics, text and colors you want to use. You can add a guestbook, a photo album, a place to RSVP online, maps and a chat room. Some designers will even create matching Web sites and wedding invitations. Custom Web sites can be expensive, with the average cost of a single-page site running around $50 on up to a full-featured, multiple-page site running just under $1,000.

Once the wedding is over, you can keep the site if you want and use it to stay in touch with friends and family. Some companies will give 12 to 18 months of free hosting after the wedding, while some template and custom services will offer extending hosting after the initial period for a cost. Some companies will also let you buy a CD of your site after the free hosting period is up.

A wedding Web site is all about the happiness of the big day. Creating one will let you share your happiness with friends, family and people all over the world