Whether you are getting ready for your own wedding, or in the event planning business it’s important to be prepared to incorporate new technology as it becomes mainstream. The use of social media in a wedding isn’t new as people have begun updating their statuses, tweeting and recording ceremonies during their ceremony.
One couple went so far as to update their Facebook relationship status during the ceremony itself, and tweeting [Tweet]. Dana and Tracy’s video of the ceremony has also achieved more than 2 million views since being uploaded to YouTube [Video]. There is also the story about a best man pranking a newlywed couple, which involves automatic a bed and other activities [Source].
Much like any corporate event it is important to plan ahead if you want to use these tools effectively, and if you have worked with weddings before you know planning is key. Don’t forget to ensure after the wedding that people can still find you after changing your maiden name [The Guide to Social Media Usernames After Getting Married].
Create a website with a blog
There are quite a few options for building a wedding webpage like the Knot and Google sites; however, you can also develop a WordPress blog with a domain that doesn’t cost very much. This blog can be your landing page for your story, registry information, venue directions, and anything else that would assist your guests prior to the wedding.
The wedding site I developed for my fiancée incorporated all of these features as well as some interesting interactive features that any social media addict would love to have.
Use Twitter and Create a Hashtag
If you’re a social media addict like me, you will likely have a few people on your guest list that also enjoy using Twitter. By creating a hashtag prior to the wedding you can have people send the happy couple messages. Wedding sites and blogs can also incorporate Twitter widgets so that messages from guests can scroll on the site.
The bride and groom can also update their guests with new information or provide links that may help them. Using a hashtag will allow it to scroll on the site, so it makes it even easier to provide information to guests that don’t use Twitter.
Another great reason to create a hashtag is allowing your guests from around the world to participate, and you do that by streaming the wedding online.
Stream it Live
Technology has become so prevalent that it’s quite easy and affordable to create a video stream of the wedding ceremony. HD web cameras can be relatively cheap, and if you don’t own a laptop it’s probable that someone in the wedding party does. Before you attempt to stream the ceremony though it’s important to note if your venue will have access to internet.
For locations that don’t offer internet access the iPhone and various smartphones have apps for USTREAM and other streaming sites. The video quality and audio may not be as useful, but it will at least allow you to provide another option for those guests who won’t be able to physically attend.
Putting It All Together
Effective communication, like at any event, is one of the most important processes in reducing stress, and achieving great results. By incorporating social media into a wedding not only are you making it interactive for your guests, but it allows people from around the world to join you on your special day.
The website I built called Our Charleston Love is a great example of how easily you can build out a communication portal on a website. On Friday, March 25 the culmination of all the hard work and planning put into the wedding will be complete when we stream our ceremony on the site.
Socially Interactive Website
As an example you can also see the basic layout of the wedding website I designed specifically with social media in mind. We placed a basic count down stating when the wedding will be, links for hotels, a scrolling Twitter feed, registry information and our engagement photos. To build a website like this only takes a few hours, and basic knowledge of WordPress. You can even download the Arras theme for free that my site started from.
