How do I embed an event in WordPress?

Embedding an event in WordPress allows you to display event details like the date, time, location, description, and more right within a page or post on your WordPress site. This is a great way to promote an upcoming event without having to send visitors off your site. There are a few different methods you can use to embed WordPress events, so in this comprehensive guide I’ll walk through the steps for each option.

Using a WordPress Event Calendar Plugin

One of the easiest ways to embed events in WordPress is by using an event calendar plugin. There are many great options available, both free and paid. Plugins like The Events Calendar by Modern Tribe and EventOn by Ashan Jay are two popular choices. Here’s an overview of how event calendar plugins work:

• Install and activate the plugin on your WordPress site.
• The plugin will add an “Events” menu to your WordPress dashboard.
• Create events using the options within the plugin.
• The plugin stores the event data in the WordPress database.
• Use shortcodes provided by the plugin to embed events anywhere on your site.

For example, The Events Calendar has a shortcode like [tribe_events] that will embed the calendar and individual event details. The main benefits of using an event plugin are:

• Dedicated options for adding and managing events.
• Advanced features like calendars, categories, search, widgets, and more.
• Flexible and responsive event displays.
• Timesaving compared to coding events from scratch.

There can be a learning curve with some event plugins in terms of all the available settings and customization options. However, overall an event calendar plugin is the easiest way for most users to embed events in WordPress.

Using Custom Fields

Another option is to embed events in WordPress posts and pages using custom fields. Here are the steps:

1. Create a normal post or page where you want the event to be displayed.
2. Within the post editor screen, you’ll see a “Custom Fields” section. Add the following custom fields:

Custom Field Name	Custom Field Value
_event_date	June 1, 2023
_event_time	6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
_event_location	Main Street Plaza
_event_description	Come enjoy food trucks, live music, and family activities at our summer concert night!

This adds the key event details as custom fields so they can be accessed later.

3. Within the main post content, you can then embed the event details using template tags. For example:

Date: ID, ‘_event_date’, true ); ?>

Time: ID, ‘_event_time’, true ); ?>

Location: ID, ‘_event_location’, true ); ?>

Description: ID, ‘_event_description’, true ); ?>

This will display the custom field values for that event. The benefits of this method are:

• No special plugins required
• Simple implementation
• Flexible – display the event details anywhere within post content

Potential downsides are having to manually add custom fields for each event, limited features, and no calendar view. But for a simple event embed, custom fields can work well.

Using HTML and CSS

For full customization over the design, you can also embed events by coding the details directly in HTML and styling it with CSS. Here’s an example embed code:

“`html

“`

You can then add custom CSS styling to control the look of the event display:

“`css
.event-listing {
display: flex;
margin-bottom: 30px;
}

.event-date {
text-align: center;
margin-right: 30px;
}

.month {
font-size: 22px;
font-weight: bold;
}

.day {
font-size: 48px;
font-weight: 700;
}

.event-detail .event-title {
margin-top: 0;
}

.event-detail .event-time,
.event-detail .event-location {
font-size: 14px;
color: #666;
}
“`

The pros of coding events manually are complete control and customization. But it does require more time and coding knowledge vs using a plugin or custom fields. Overall HTML/CSS is best for developers who want to build a custom event template.

Using a Page Builder Plugin

Another option for flexibility without coding is using a WordPress page builder plugin like Elementor, Beaver Builder, or Divi. Here are the general steps with this approach:

1. Install and set up the page builder plugin.
2. Create a new page or post where you want to display the event details.
3. Within the page builder editor, add elements to display the event date, time, location, description, etc.
4. Style the elements using the page builder settings.
5. Save and publish the page/post.

For example in Elementor, you could add a Text Editor element for the description, a Heading for the title, and Icon List widgets for the date, time, and location. Page builder plugins provide an intuitive drag and drop way to embed events without coding.

The pros of using a page builder for events are:

• Visual editor for faster design
• Responsive mobile-friendly event displays
• Use pre-built site templates and elements
• Change layouts and styles easily

Page builders may have a learning curve and more limited features compared to a dedicated event plugin. But they provide a nice middle ground between using a plugin and coding the HTML/CSS completely manually.

Conclusion

To recap, here are the main ways you can embed event details in WordPress:

• Using an event calendar plugin like The Events Calendar or EventOn
• Adding custom fields to posts/pages and displaying with template tags
• Coding event HTML/CSS manually for complete customization
• Building the event through a drag and drop page builder plugin

The best option depends on your specific needs and how much customization you want over the event displays. Plugins like The Events Calendar provide great out-of-the-box solutions. But custom fields, HTML, and page builders allow for more flexibility and unique designs.

Some key points to keep in mind when embedding WordPress events:

• Make sure the critical event details (date, time, location) are prominent.
• Provide clear and concise event descriptions.
• Include eye-catching featured images to attract attention.
• Use organizer contact information so visitors can learn more.
• Test event displays on mobile to ensure a responsive layout.

With the right approach, you can embed engaging events across your WordPress site. Events are a great way to inform visitors about happenings on your site and keep content fresh and evergreen. Try using a plugin first for a quick and easy event integration. Then consider custom fields or custom code if you need more advanced features and design flexibility. With these tips you’ll be embedding events in WordPress like a pro!