Zola Review

Monday, December 2nd

2024 Wedding Planning Software Reviews

Zola

• Free for users
• Make a custom wedding website
• Thousands of wedding announcement templates
• Guest list and budget tools
• 20% off registry items post-wedding
• "A-” Better Business Bureau rating

Zola might be one of the better-known wedding planning sites. They're an online wedding planner, wedding registry, and retailer. They were founded in New York City in 2013, initially as an online registry-only service. They received notable funding in 2018 that helped them expand their services to wedding websites, RSVP tracking, guest lists, customizable checklists, and wedding invitations.

Create an account to get started

There are quite a few tools and features you can use at Zola, so it may be overwhelming knowing where to start. When you reach their website, click the "Let's Do This!” button and they'll get you on your way. You'll answer a series of questions, the first being where you're at in the process (from not yet engaged to almost married and finishing up details). You'll input your partner's name and yours and the wedding date (if you have one). You'll submit your email address and create a password that you'll use on Zola's site to access your information and then add information about your guest list and where your ceremony will be.

Great wedding invitation options

One of the first things you might want to do at Zola is design your save-the-dates or wedding invitations. They have over 1,300 design templates you can choose from. You'll be able to add all your important wedding details and make customizations to perfect the style of your invites. Depending on the design you choose and the upgrades you opt for (foiling, silhouette, paper type, and optional add-ons like thank you cards, RSVP cards) you'll see pricing for your paper invitations. Once you design one you're happy with, they'll send you a proof for free so you can see it in-person and give your final stamp of approval. Many people turn to Zola specifically for wedding announcements.

Custom wedding websites

Alongside creating wedding announcements, you can make a wedding website with Zola. This can serve as a home to your registry, a place to collect online RSVPs, and put all of your wedding details. You can choose from hundreds of designs and make customizations so that your website reflects your vibe. Couples can add their photos, FAQS, and include the full wedding day schedule.

Keep track of attendees

You can create handy guest lists with Zola and track RSVPs, plus ones, meal choices, and other important details. You can start a guest list right away by adding names, email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses if you have them. Zola allows you to contact the people who you're missing information for, so that you have a comprehensive list for wedding announcements by the end.

Stay within a budget

You'll probably want to use Zola's budget tool to keep track of your purchases and do what you can to stay within a comfortable price range when all is said and done. You'll get payment reminders and be able to create your own categories for budget planning.

Crate & Barrel partnership

Have we mentioned that all of the tools on Zola are free? Zola makes their money by selling wedding gifts and wedding-related items when you create a registry here. In 2018 they formed a partnership with Crate & Barrel that allows Zola users to register for more than 3,500 Crate & Barrel products. A registry perk that Zola offers their members is 20% off wedding registry items post-registry. This gives them an opportunity to get the things they weren't gifted without having to pay full price.

Registry issues

Zola has an "A-” rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, they have mixed reviews from users based on the features that they were using. For basic organization and website creation, people are generally satisfied. Where Zola's reputation tanks is in people's satisfaction with registry items. People say that Zola will allow things to be sold even though they aren't in stock and it often takes months for them to arrive. Things don't always appear as they did online and hundreds of people have reported issues. The best way around this is to link registries from other sites to your Zola website and not bother making a registry with Zola itself.

Good for some things

Overall, you can't really go wrong if you find that Zola's free tools are useful to you. However, this isn't their bread and butter. You won't be making a comprehensive seating chart here or following a handy checklist, but if you want to make wedding announcements or a wedding website, then go ahead and try out Zola. Still, we don't like that there are so many issues with their registry and since there are other more well-liked wedding planning sites that are free, Zola isn't our favorite.