Wedding website answers
Straightforward answers about wedding website privacy, data ownership, and what the free platforms don't tell you upfront.
Yes — by default on Zola, The Knot, and most free platforms. Here's exactly what a stranger sees, and why enabling privacy settings isn't always enough.
Not fully. Password protection and search engine removal are two separate settings on most platforms — and even with both enabled, there are documented gaps.
They are free to use. They are not free. Zola and The Knot are funded by vendor advertising and data licensing — here's exactly what you give up, and whether that trade is worth making.
Your guest list enters a platform whose revenue model is built on vendor access. Their own privacy policy acknowledges that data sharing with advertising partners may be a 'sale' under California law.
On platforms with open RSVP forms, yes. A 2021 security report documented a business logic flaw in The Knot's RSVP system where anyone could respond on behalf of another guest — no identity verification.
On most free platforms: your site stays live, your guest data sits in their database indefinitely, and the RSVP form may still accept submissions years later. Here's what to do before you walk away.