Step-by-step instructions for connecting your HostGator domain to WedSites.

If you registered your domain with HostGator, follow these steps to add the DNS records needed to connect it to your WedSites wedding website.

Make sure you've added your domain to WedSites first. Go to Settings > General and enter your custom domain, then save. Then come back here to set up your DNS records.

You'll need access to your HostGator account. Make sure you can log in and that you have permission to manage DNS for your domain.

You'll be adding these two records to your HostGator domain:

Important: You only need the A record if you're using an apex domain (like yourwedding.com). You only need the CNAME if you're using a subdomain (like www.yourwedding.com). We recommend adding both so both versions of your domain work.

Go to hostgator.com and sign in to your account.

If you're using cPanel hosting, you can also access DNS via:
1. Log in to cPanel
2. Look for Zone Editor or DNS Zone Editor in the Domains section
3. Click Manage next to your domain

Look for any existing A records with @ or your domain name in the Name column.

If you see existing A records for @:
- You need to delete any A records that don't point to 37.16.10.26
- Having multiple A records causes your domain to only work sometimes
- Click Delete or the trash icon next to each conflicting record

Common conflicting records to look for:
- HostGator default A records (pointing to HostGator's servers)
- cPanel parking page A records
- Old hosting A records

Using a custom subdomain? If you're using something like wedding.yourwedding.com instead of www, replace "www" with "wedding" in the Name field.

After saving, check the DNS records list to confirm both records appear:
- An A record for @ pointing to 37.16.10.26
- A CNAME record for www pointing to domains.wedsites.com

Wait for DNS propagation. HostGator DNS changes typically take 15 minutes to 4 hours to fully propagate.

SSL certificate is automatic. Once your domain connects, we'll automatically add an SSL certificate so your site works with https. This happens within a few hours of your domain connecting.

Test your domain. After waiting, try visiting your domain in a browser. You should see your wedding website!

Domain not working after several hours?
- Double-check that you entered the DNS records exactly as shown above
- Make sure you deleted any conflicting A records
- Check that you entered your domain in WedSites under Settings > General

Still seeing HostGator page?
- Delete all default A records that don't point to 37.16.10.26
- If using cPanel hosting, make sure the domain isn't assigned to a hosting account that overrides DNS
- Try clearing your browser cache or testing in incognito mode

cPanel vs HostGator dashboard?
- HostGator has both a customer portal and cPanel. DNS can be managed from either
- The customer portal is at your HostGator account dashboard under Domains
- cPanel DNS is under Zone Editor in the Domains section

CNAME issues?
- Make sure the Name is "www" and not "@"
- Verify the Value field is exactly: domains.wedsites.com
- Check that you don't already have a CNAME for www — delete the old one first

Need to verify DNS setup?
- Go to dnschecker.org
- Enter your domain and select "A" record type
- You should see 37.16.10.26 in the results

Dashboard vs cPanel: HostGator provides DNS management through both their customer dashboard and cPanel. The dashboard is simpler; cPanel gives more control. Either works for adding these records.

Hosting conflict: If your domain is assigned to a HostGator hosting plan, it may have automatic A records. You may need to unassign the domain or use cPanel's Zone Editor to override the records.

Same parent as Bluehost: HostGator and Bluehost are both owned by Newfold Digital. The interfaces differ, but DNS management concepts are similar.

Email hosting: If you use HostGator for email, your MX records are separate and won't be affected by adding these A and CNAME records.

If you're having trouble with HostGator DNS settings, reach out to our support team and we'll help you get your domain connected!