SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEDDING: THE TRENDS

Our point is this. If it’s walking down the aisle to an audience of iPhones or hating another couple who stole your hashtag, social media is here to stay.

But how is social media influencing wedding trends? It’s actually happening in two distinct ways. Firstly, weddings are getting bigger. And bigger. And when you think they can’t get any bigger, someone will find a way to make it happen. We can’t help but think that having everything on show all the time is part of this and really, we don’t like it! Your wedding should never be a competition and no bride should feel that she needs to one up another bride.

A growing number of brides are responding to this and going the exact opposite route. What’s this? Planning an unplugged wedding. These weddings are sans phones and camera, no hashtags and encourage all guests to simply live in the moment of the day.

For most people, this may sound like a nightmare but all is not lost. In fact, there’s many ways to use social media for the good of your wedding.

1. Use it as inspiration: there are a lot of amazing images out there. People post pictures of their own weddings and amazingly talented suppliers show off their skills. Spend time looking at everything you can find to help you narrow down what you want and be creative! If you see something you love, don’t just copy it. Instead, use what you find as a jumping off point to create something that is perfectly you.
2. Create connections: every bride will have her own dramas when she’s planning her wedding. And somewhere in the world, there’s another bride that’s gone through something similar! Talk to other brides and ask them questions. Most people want to talk about themselves and they’ll be more than willing to help!
3. Find the right suppliers: if there’s one thing we know at Wedded Wonderland it’s exactly how many suppliers there are out there. If there’s something else we know, it’s how incredible some of them are and how not incredible others of them are. Explore the people you want to work with on social media and see what they can do first hand. Often, it will also give you a great idea of their personalities and see how well you will mesh as well.
4. Share it: chances are, there are some people you want at your wedding who won’t be able to be there. Social media is the perfect way to let them see it in real time. Some people are even using the internet to live stream their weddings! For couples who are marrying far away from home, it allows you to include people who might not be involved otherwise.
5. Keep it: using social media for your wedding will give you a whole other keepsake of your wedding. There’s even a growing trend of people broadcasting the result of hashtags at their reception as a talking point. It also gives you the chance to find different images you might not have seen, as well letting your guests help create your memories.