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The best Zola alternatives for UK weddings in 2026

Zola is a lovely product, but it's built for American weddings. If you're getting married in the UK, or your guests are spread across London, Lagos, Paris and Toronto, you might find yourself working around it rather than with it.

Here's a fair look at the best alternatives for UK couples, what each one is good at, and who it suits. We make WeddingBeacon, one of the options on this list, so we've tried to be straight about where the others are stronger. For a direct comparison with Zola, see WeddingBeacon vs Zola.

Why UK couples look beyond Zola

Zola works from the UK in the sense that you can build a site and guests can open it. But a few things are built around the US:

If those don't bother you, Zola is still a strong choice. If they do, read on.

  • Guest texting only works with US phone numbers, according to Zola's own help centre. Guests elsewhere get email instead.
  • The registry, which is the heart of Zola, is centred on American retailers and US shipping, so UK couples often link out to a UK gift list anyway.
  • Suppliers and advice are aimed at US weddings.

What to look for in a Zola alternative

Before comparing, it helps to know what matters for your wedding:

  • How you'll reach guests. One shared link, email, or personal messages on WhatsApp?
  • How many events. A single day, or an introduction, traditional ceremony, white wedding and reception?
  • Where your guests live. All in the UK, or across several countries and languages?
  • How you'd like to pay. Nothing at all, or a one-off payment for features you need?
  • Gifts. A full registry, cash funds, or a link to a department store list?

1. Hitched: best for UK suppliers and planning tools

Hitched is a UK wedding site and part of The Knot Worldwide group. Alongside its big UK supplier directory, it offers a wedding website, guest list, budget planner and drag-and-drop seating chart, and it says all its planning tools have no charge.

Good for:

Worth knowing: Hitched is funded by suppliers paying to appear in its directory, so expect to see supplier suggestions as you plan.

Choose Hitched if you're still booking suppliers and want planning tools and your website in one UK place.

  • Finding and comparing UK venues and suppliers in the same place you build your site
  • RSVPs that sync with your guest list
  • Linking your gift list from your website
  • A planning app for iPhone and Android

2. Joy (WithJoy): best all-rounder app

Joy is an American platform, but its UK site uses British spelling and its tools travel well. Its website, RSVP, guest list, planning tools, app and registry have no charge, with paid extras such as premium stationery. Joy notes you'd buy a custom domain yourself from a domain provider.

Good for:

Choose Joy if your suppliers are sorted and you want a polished website and app without paying for the site.

  • RSVPs for multiple events, plus-ones, households and follow-up questions
  • Personalised schedules, so certain guests only see certain events
  • A guest app with photo sharing and an online guestbook
  • Cash funds in its registry
  • Inviting your partner, planner or mum to help without sharing passwords

3. WeddingBeacon: best for WhatsApp invites and multi-event weddings

WeddingBeacon is a wedding website builder run by a London-based company, made for families who talk on WhatsApp and weddings that run over more than one event.

What it does differently:

Also included: 30+ designs, guest list import from Excel or CSV, cash funds by card (such as a honeymoon fund), a wishlist, links to outside registries, a guestbook with guest photos, team roles (Owner, Editor, Check-in) and Bea, a built-in AI assistant that never sends or publishes anything without your confirmation. On Standard and Season you also get automatic RSVP reminders, confirmations, day-of and thank-you messages, and a floor-plan drawing for seating.

Pricing: one-time payment, no subscription.

Worth knowing: WeddingBeacon has far fewer templates than Zola or Joy, no stationery shop and no supplier directory. Its gifts section covers cash funds, a wishlist and outside registry links rather than a full shop.

Choose WeddingBeacon if you want each guest invited personally, you're running a trad and white wedding or several events, or your guests span countries and languages.

  • Personal invites on WhatsApp or email. Each guest gets an invite with their name on it, which opens their own page. No single poster dropped into the family group chat.
  • Up to six events on one site. Traditional ceremony, white wedding, reception, brunch. Each guest RSVPs to the events they're invited to and only sees those.
  • English and French, chosen per household. Handy for Cameroonian and francophone families, or relatives in France, Belgium or Canada.
  • Guests in several countries. Phone numbers from your guest list are tidied up before anything is sent, and prices show in local currency, including pounds, euros, naira, CFA francs, Kenyan shillings and rand.
  • QR guest pass and phone check-in. Confirmed guests get a QR pass, and your door team checks people in from a phone using a Check-in role that only sees the door.
  • Plan: One-time price
  • Free to start: £0
  • Basic: £62
  • Standard: £118
  • Season (planners, 5 weddings): £513

Quick comparison

  • Hitched: Joy, WeddingBeacon
  • Based in: UK (The Knot Worldwide group), US, UK (London)
  • Website cost: No charge, No charge, Free to start, then one-time £62 to £513
  • Invites: Website link, Website link, app, online invitations, Personal WhatsApp or email per guest
  • Multiple events: Not verified, Yes, Up to 6, guests see only theirs
  • Languages: English, English (UK site), English and French per household
  • Day of: Seating chart, Guest app, photo album, QR pass and phone check-in
  • Gifts: Link to your gift list, Registry with cash funds, Cash funds by card, wishlist, outside links
  • Supplier directory: Yes, UK, No, No

What about The Knot?

The Knot is Hitched's American sister brand, aimed at US weddings. For a UK wedding, Hitched is the version built for you.

So which Zola alternative is best?

There isn't one winner. It depends on your wedding:

WeddingBeacon is Free to start, so you can build your site and try a personal invite before deciding.

The direct comparisons are WeddingBeacon vs Zola, WeddingBeacon vs Joy, and WeddingBeacon vs Hitched. For the weekend itself, see how to collect RSVPs online and the trad and white wedding planning checklist.

  • Booking UK suppliers and want everything in one place? Hitched.
  • Want a polished website and guest app without paying for the site? Joy.
  • Inviting family on WhatsApp, running trad and white, or have guests across countries and languages? WeddingBeacon.
  • Registry-led wedding with mostly American guests? Honestly, Zola is still hard to beat.

FAQ

Does Zola work in the UK?

You can build a Zola website from the UK and guests anywhere can view it. Its guest texting only works with US phone numbers, and its registry is built around US retailers.

What is the UK equivalent of Zola?

Hitched is the best-known UK wedding planning site, with a website builder and supplier directory. For WhatsApp invites and multi-event weddings, WeddingBeacon is built in the UK for that.

Which wedding website lets me send invites on WhatsApp?

WeddingBeacon sends each guest a personal WhatsApp or email invite that opens their own page.

Can I pay once for a wedding website instead of a subscription?

Yes. WeddingBeacon plans are one-time payments in your local currency, from Free to start up to £513 for planners.

Which wedding website is best for a Nigerian or Cameroonian wedding?

Look for multiple events and personal invites. WeddingBeacon supports up to six events with per-event RSVPs, WhatsApp invites and English or French per household.