Even if you’ve planned a wedding before, planning a wedding today in the digital age may have you scratching your head a bit. Social media has changed so much about the way we communicate and share experiences, and weddings are no exception.
Whether you’re a social media pro, or you’ve found yourself wondering, “What are wedding hashtags?” or even “What is a photo booth, and why should I have one at my wedding?”, we’ve got you covered. There are plenty of fun ways to use social media for a wedding for both you and your guests. Check out our eight tips for using social media for a wedding, and start getting excited for your big day and all the special moments leading up to it.
One straightforward way to bring your wedding online is to create a wedding website. Nearly three-quarters of couples today put together a site for their wedding. There are several free services to choose from online for creating wedding websites. These services will let you pick a template you love and then fill in your information. They’re easy to set up, so don’t worry if you’re afraid you’re not tech-savvy enough. Anyone can create a website that makes it convenient for your guests to find the information they’re looking for.
You can include as much or as little on your site as you like. Typically, you want to list the same information that’s on your invitation, including your and your partner’s names, the wedding date and time and the location. There are a lot more things you can share on your website, too. Let’s look at some examples of what you could include:
You can even have guests RSVP through your website. Concerned about putting all that information online? Opt for a website with password-protected access, and share the password with your guests. Post a link to your website on all your social media platforms to generate some buzz.
If a wedding website seems like overkill to you, another option is to create an event page for your wedding on Facebook. You can do this in addition to creating a website, as well. The guests who may not visit your wedding website for all the details will likely at least see your Facebook event, which can include highlights like date, time and location. It will also give you a place to post updates. For example, you can share a last-minute change of plans in case of rain for an outdoor wedding.
Some couples choose to forgo formal invitations altogether and invite their friends and family online. Invitations in the mail are more traditional, but sending invitations online can save you a good deal of time and money if you’d prefer a more casual or modern approach. You can invite guests using a Facebook event or through email.
Some online invitation generators will allow you to share the invite in a variety of ways, including email and social media, so you can be sure to reach all your prospective guests. Online invitations make RSVPing as easy as clicking a button, so you may get more responses than you would with formal invites in the mail. Remember, though, not everyone uses email and social media, so you may still want to have a few invitations printed and mailed to guests who are not online.
A great way to remind people about your upcoming wedding and generate some anticipation among your guests is to post countdowns to the wedding date on your social media platforms. You can find apps that will help you count down to the big day, second by second. Whether your engagement is two years or two months long, every day gets you one day closer to tying the knot with the one you love, and that’s something to be excited about.
You can enjoy seeing the countdown get closer each day, but you’ll only want to share it with your followers and friends on milestone days. For example, you may want to share a screenshot of your countdown app or a photo of you and your spouse-to-be when you’re one year out from your wedding, when you’re halfway through your engagement, then more frequently as you get closer to the big day.
Generate excitement by reminding guests the wedding is only two months away, one month away, one week and then one day. You can also share exciting pre-wedding experiences like picking out your dress, cake tastings, showers and more. You may want to post on any event pages or websites you’ve created to remind guests to send in their final RSVPs just before they’re due. Don’t worry about annoying your guests with countdown posts. They will enjoy the opportunity to join in your enthusiasm.
If you’ve seen anyone post about their wedding lately, you know wedding hashtags have become a must for modern couples. A whopping 82% of weddings today include a custom hashtag. Why have a wedding hashtag? Because it allows all your wedding guests to post photos and comments that will appear in one searchable place. When you know how to make a wedding hashtag, you and your guests can look through and save snapshots from the wedding.
You know you want a hashtag, but how can you come up with one that’s unique and memorable? If you opt for simple, you can always go with the groom’s last name along with “wedding” and the year. For something more creative, consider mashing up both your names, celebrity-couple style, or come up with a pun using your soon-to-be-shared last name. You can also use the theme of the wedding for hashtag inspiration. If you get stumped, try an online generator for wedding hashtag ideas.
To take advantage of the benefits of having a wedding hashtag, make sure to prominently post it for guests to see. You can create a sign for guests to notice as they walk in, include the hashtag on a card at each table or project it on a screen. Make sure you also share the Wi-Fi password for your venue, if applicable, so people can post away. If you want, you can use a service that displays tweets or posts from guests using the hashtag on a projector screen at the reception.
Your wedding day is ultimately about you and your partner and the commitment you’re making to each other, but your guests should also feel special. What better time for people to take photos of themselves with their partners, friends and family than when they’re dressed to the nines and having a ball? When you want guests to take plenty of photos, include a photo booth at your reception.
A photo booth is an excellent way to create a fun photo op for guests. There are numerous ways to do a photo booth. You can DIY by finding some wedding photo booth ideas online to help you create a backdrop and add your favorite props so guests can take selfies. You can also hire a photo booth vendor to come in. These vendors can print out photos on the spot for guests to take home and will sometimes also send digital copies so people can post their photos on social media.
If you’re not crazy about silly props, you can have a more elegant photo booth where people can take more formal portraits as keepsakes from your wedding. Whatever style of photo booth you choose to go with, there are some notable benefits of having a photo booth at your wedding. It can add to the entertainment at your reception and will give everyone mementos from the night, so they can remember how much fun they had.
Snapchat is an easy way to share photos with friends, and who doesn’t love all the fun filters? Have you ever noticed new options for filters in specific locations or events? These are known as geofilters — filters Snapchat users only have access to in a designated geographical area.
Create one of these filters for your wedding and select a small area that encompasses the venue, so guests who are on Snapchat will have a special filter for their snaps and stories. Use text, stickers and more to customize your filter. You can submit your order for a custom filter as early as 180 days before your wedding, and as late as right before. Snapchat recommends submitting the order at least 24 hours before you want it to go live, so you can make last-minute edits if necessary.
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The cost depends on the size of the geofence — the area guests have to be in to have access to the filter — and how long the filter is available. For weddings, you can limit the geofence to your reception location and the time to just a few hours, making this an affordable and fun way to create social media buzz during your event.
Do you have guests who have to miss your wedding, but wish they could be there? One way to help them feel included and create social media buzz is to live-stream parts of the event. You can hire a videographer to live-stream the entire event if you wish, but a more straightforward solution is to have someone use their phone to go live on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Doing a live video is pretty simple, no matter which platform you’re using. If you don’t want to go live for all your friends to see, you can do a video in an invite-only group or event for your wedding, where only specific people will see it. This approach is an ideal way to share highlights from the night with friends and family who couldn’t make it.
You may want to refrain from live-streaming the ceremony and instead wait until the reception, when things are a bit less formal, to create a live video. Ask one of your friends, preferably someone who isn’t in the wedding party, to do the live stream so you can focus on being in the moment. That said, you can do your live videos earlier to share your excitement while getting ready for the event.
When a photographer leaves your wedding, their work has just begun. Most photographers will take anywhere from three to 12 weeks to edit your photos and get the final versions back to you. This waiting period can seem like an eternity when you’re eager to see your pictures from the big day, but it should be worth the wait.
While your photographer needs plenty of time to edit your entire photo collection from your wedding, many photographers are happy to expedite editing a few photos to share as a sneak peek shortly after the ceremony. Talk to your photographer ahead of time and see if they would be willing to edit at least one killer photo right after the wedding, so you can share it on social media a day or two after your ceremony.
For example, this could be a photo of your kiss at the altar, cutting the cake or dancing at the reception. It could also be a stunning portrait with your new spouse. Give your photographer some freedom to pick out one of their favorites to send you that you can share online. Be sure to give credit to the photographer by tagging them. When you create your post, remember to thank your guests for sharing in your special day.
You’ve probably seen some amazing wedding photos that have inspired your wedding planning. Perhaps more than anything else, your venue will play a critical role in making your wedding that unforgettable experience, with the photos to prove it. If you’re looking to get married in the Central PA area, make sure you consider Colonial Golf and Tennis Club. With our breathtaking outdoor landscapes and elegant indoor spaces, you won’t find a more “Insta-worthy” setting than this.
Since you can have both your ceremony and reception here, you can create a geofilter that works for your entire event. From the beautiful views to the amazing food from our in-house catering team, your guests will have plenty to post about. Contact us today to learn more about our facility and how we can help you make your special day not only a social media sensation but also an unforgettable experience you and your spouse will treasure for years to come.