Etiquette is still forming around the use of social media at private functions such as weddings. On the one hand, it is highly likely that guests may have cameras in their phones, so there ought to be a ton of pictures to look over later, right? You and your partner may relax on the honeymoon beach scrolling through dozens of shots of your perfect celebration. Or, you may get a hundred reposts of your Uncle Larry stuffing his pockets with cocktail shrimp right before the ceremony. Social media may be a great way to connect, but there may be too much of a good thing at your special event.
DO livestream the celebration for friends and loved ones that are unable to make it to the event. It is a good bet that there may be a guest who would like something anything to do, and would manage the tech for you.
DON'T vent on Twitter or Facebook about whatever may not be going perfectly as planned before the wedding. Let go of the impulse to document negativity, even it is only for one day. Perfection may be overrated. Go with whatever is happening, stay present and breathe.
DO make some space for yourself by creating a private Pinterest board to contemplate all of those fantastic ideas for the event, your attire or reception details.
DON'T reveal too much ahead of time about your plans before the event, especially if you and your partner are planning a themed or otherwise unique celebration. Over-sharing beforehand may have guests thinking they are experiencing déjà vu instead of your unique moment.
DO save the disposable cameras for the little ones to play with at the reception. Adults may get far better results with the cameras on their phones, and besides, they may instantly delete the bad ones.
DON'T do a countdown to the big day on your favorite social media site. While your friends and family may be as delighted as you are for the upcoming nuptials, you may want to keep a bit of your excitement to yourself.
DO request that guests use a designated hashtag for celebration posts, tweets and photos.
DON'T update your status on the altar. It may not seem so funny later. Really.
DO consider tucking a wedding cam into the bouquet for a fascinating and singular perspective of the day's happenings.
DON'T tuck your cellphone into your cleavage. Some other thoughts on photos and the use of cameras:
Consider asking guests to hold off on picture-taking during the ceremony. Too much activity may be distracting, and might even interfere with the efforts of your professional photographer. Encourage everyone to be with you and your partner in the moment.
Take full advantage of photo-sharing sites and apps.
Take a selfie, or several, before the event. It may be fun later to see the excitement and anticipation in your own face before saying I do.
Take the Good, Leave the Bad
A great use of technology may be to use a maps application to share the location of your ceremony and reception. This is a day-saver when people from out of town are trying to navigate a new city or ferry around other guests from the hotel to the reception site to the airport. A tablet or phone may also come in handy when it comes time to give a prepared speech. It may hold notes or even an entire finished document. The officiant may even employ one discreetly during the ceremony to stay focused and organized. A good rule of thumb is to put the tech away in those moments when you wouldn't want to be seen in a photo using it. Need it be said? Don't text and wed.
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