#Weddings Unplugged: Mobile & Social Media at Your Wedding

We recently received a copy of celebrity wedding planner, Mindy Weiss’s The Wedding Book. We like Mindy. Not only is she the woman behind the weddings of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia di Rossi, but she’s published a refreshingly inclusive wedding book: one that includes a section on Same Sex Weddings, and not just as an after thought – it alludes to same-sex (and opposite-sex) weddings throughout.

There are no model brides cosying up to chiselled grooms in here, just page after page of practical tips, inspired insights and reassuringly common-sense approaches that will actually help you plan your wedding within your budget, instead of pushing it over the edge. Like how much couples typically spend on what – priceless in helping you allocate budget and a minute-by-minute schedule for your wedding day.

One feature that caught our eye was a piece on digital weddings. Just how can you control which parts of your wedding are captured on smartphones, instagrammed, tweeted and shared online for the world to see. Here’s Mindy’s advice…

MOBILES: ON OR OFF

Going to a wedding ceremony is an intimate event. Who wants to have their “I do” moment interrupted by the ringing of a phone or the bleep of an incoming email? It’s not uncommon for couples to make a pre-ceremony announcement politely requesting that mobiles be switched off.

“If you choose to make an announcement, make sure it’s made right before the ceremony begins, before the officiant enters,” explains Mindy. “The announcer can also remind guests about any restrictions on photographer, too.”

Others try to minimise disruption by displaying subtle signage.

“I prefer posting a sign, rather than making the officiant or wedding planner make a formal announcement – it’s more subtle. Have it penned in calligraphy with a pretty border, and put it where guests will see it as they enter; and inject a little humour in the wording, so that it doesn’t sound heavy-handed – like The Only Rings We Want to Hear About At Our Wedding Are Ours – Please Switch Off Your Mobiles“

FLASHING SMARTPHONES

Phones may waggle when you walk down the aisle, as guests eagerly try to capture your magical moments on their phones. But are phone faces and flashes really what you want to remember on your approach towards the registrar and partner? And are you happy for your photos to be instantly posted online? Mindy says that giving guests a gentle reminder of digital wedding etiquette is definitely worth considering…

“Celebrities aren’t the only ones with privacy concerns; some couples don’t want prospective clients or employers (or exes, for that matter) having access to their intimate unguarded photos. Others maybe comfortable sharing photos to their own social media feeds, where the privacy settings are under their control, but are wary of letting friends with feeds set to ‘public’ share wedding photos far and wide. Once a photo has been posted publicly, it’s very hard to take it back, particularly if like-minded to-be-weds start reposting.”

HEADS TO SCROLL

And then there’s the issue of guests missing your biggest moments. For social media die-hards a wedding is a prime photo-sharing opportunity; but often this means that instead of participating and experiencing your wedding as it unfolds first hand, their heads are down as they scroll through their social feed, watching the proceedings through their screen and missing all the fun.

And, if you are having a big reveal, do you want it spoiled by someone posting a picture of you getting ready before you arrive at the ceremony?

It matters at the reception, too. To ensure guests put their phones down and engage in real time, why not go lo-fi and encourage guests to unplug so they can laugh and dance with your others guests.

#WEDDINGSHARE

Of course, you might embrace the social sharing; if you do, why not introduce your own wedding hashtag, that way you can track guest photos and relive your big day through the eyes of your guests the following day.

“Selecting and broadcasting a wedding hashtag is a great way to ensure that you and your guests will be able to see and enjoy the weekend’s photos as they’re posted to Instagram. To choose a hashtag, type some options into the app to see whether they’ve already been taken; if obvious choices like #EmilyKarenWedding or #TheDentWrights are gone, try a cute amalgamation of your names like #Emilren.”

Mindy also advises to establish your wedding hashtag early in order to share sneak peeks or pre-wedding festivities with your nearest and dearest.

“Include it in your invitations or save-the-dates, or post it to your wedding website. And remember to share your hashtag with guests on the day of your wedding too: print it onto framed signs placed on the bar, in the bathrooms and/or in the guestbook. And, if you’re going down the photobooth route, make sure the hashtag is displayed on the prop table.”

---

THE WEDDING BOOK & MINDY

Mindy Weiss is a ‘megastar wedding planner’ and one of the most visible and trusted names in the wedding business. She has planned countless celebrity weddings and events and is now sharing her expertise and experiences in her book: The Wedding Book: An Expert’s Guide to Planning Your Perfect Day – Your Way.

Unlike other guides we’ve seen, it’s not a coffee table wedding book to swoon over, it’s a jam-packed resource that gives practical advice, checklists, planning insights and more. And, because it’s so thorough and encompassing of same-sex marriage – it gets a big thumbs up from us.

Available to buy from Amazon now.

View another review of The Wedding Book at Flowerona.

IMAGE CREDITS

(from top left to bottom right):
1) Unplugged Ceremony Wooden Sign – Nixie Designs Shop, £65, Etsy
2) White Framed Sign – Pinterest
3) Blackboard Unplugged Wedding Sign – Anietillustration, Printable, £7.08, Etsy
4) No wifi gilt frame – Studio in Budapest, Printable, £6.84, Etsy
5) Blackboard sign – mommyish.com
6) Show Us Your Shots – blisslettering.com
7) Social hashtag sign – Pinterest