Social Media + Your Wedding
It’s no secret that technology is a huge part of our society. From updating our Facebook statuses to “Engaged” to creating a wedding website specific to your big day, engaged couples are constantly turning to digital means in order to make their wedding day special and unique.
There is a fine line when it comes to incorporating technology into your plans without having your guests tweeting, Instagramming, and hashtagging every moment of your celebration. Here are some guidelines on how to keep it classy when going digital for your wedding.
Keewi Designs
Announcements
While we definitely recommend using technology in your wedding celebrations, there are times when it’s simply not appropriate. Save-the-Dates and invitations should still be sent through the mail. It’s not appropriate to post it as a Facebook event or sent as an e-vite. However, announcing or updating your engagement via social media is absolutely acceptable!
Wedding Website
Creating your very own wedding website is an exciting part of being engaged! Once you have your wedding party chosen and have picked your date and venue, you can start building the foundations. The website is a great way to announce things that aren’t appropriate to put on your official invitations – like the dress code and registry information. Add details like the venue’s address and time of the celebration, menu, and guest accommodations. If you have a unique hashtag for your wedding, let your guests know on your website so they can start using it for the pre-ceremony activities! That way, you’ll be able to save and print photos of your guests receiving their invitations and attending your engagement party and bridal shower. Having an unplugged ceremony? Your wedding website is the perfect place to let your guests know before they attend!
#herecomesthebride
Klodt Photography
Creating your own hashtag can be more difficult than you’d expect! You can create something generic and easy-to-remember – like combing your names (RIP Brangelina) or stating the obvious (#JohnandJaneGetHitched). If you want to get a bit more creative, use a pun or fun wordplay! There are some sites that will generate hashtags for you, but we suggest using those examples as inspiration to come up with your own ideas!
We love the idea of having a small get together with your wedding party and brainstorming ideas. Provide some appetizers and drinks, plan a game or two, and start shouting out ideas! Not only will you end up with a fun, funny, or creative hashtag, but it’s a great way for members of your party to bond and get to know each other!
Wedding Planning Apps
There are so many apps out there to choose from when it comes to planning your wedding. It’s so convenient to store all the details you need easily accessible on your phone! We suggest limiting the number of apps you download; more than one or two will lead to confusion. We also advise that you don’t rely completely on your phone for wedding planning. God forbid it gets damaged and you lose all of your information. Use the Today’s Bride Wedding Planner or create a binder. You should store and organize company names, contact information, payment schedules and due dates, inspiration ideas, and more.
Instagram vs. Real Photographer
I Heart My Groom Photography
We’re not lying when we say we love Instagram – we do! Just check out our page and you’ll see that we’re huge fans of spreading love to your feed. What we don’t love is when brides rely on Instagram 100% for their wedding photos instead of hiring a professional photographer. Here are three reasons why you shouldn’t go the Instagram-route.
First:
Do you really want to trust your friends and family to choose good filters and saturation levels? A professional knows what he or she is doing. They’ll spend hours editing your images to perfect the lighting, eliminate any glares and red-eye, and create the effect you desire.
Second:
When you’re flipping through your wedding album years from now, your photos won’t have any sort of consistency. You’ll see one faded image with a vignette next to a hi-saturation photo with bright colors and a border. Hiring a professional photographer means having someone show the story of your day in a consistent manner.
Third:
If your guests are having fun, they’ll be out on the dance floor; not taking and posting pictures to Instagram. Imagine sitting down to create your album and finding that your guests posted a total of 10 pictures – and none of them include your first kiss or father-daughter dance! Most photography companies provide two shooters for your wedding day. With a professional, not only will every important moment be captured for years to come, but you can ensure that it will be a fantastic shot.
Technology impacts every aspect of our lives, so of course, it would be included in the celebration of your marriage! But it’s important to use it appropriately and sparingly. Remember to be present in the moment; you only get to enjoy it once.
