Whether you love or loathe Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and all the other social media channels that are springing up, there is no denying that they are becoming increasingly popular. They seem to be infiltrating every part of our lives, with many sharing their most personal thoughts and even photos with the world.
The social media trend has even spread into the world of weddings, with some couples incorporating it into their big day. But is it a good idea? Here we take a look at some weddings where social media has played a large part in the event, for better or for worse.
The Good
We have now reached a point were all couples need to consider the part that social media may play in their wedding day. Unless you specifically tell guests otherwise, there is a very realistic chance that photographs will appear online before you get your images from the official photographer.
For some, this can detract from the joy of showing off their wedding album. In some instances it may even be that a photo has found its way onto Facebook or Twitter before the ceremony is even over.
On the other hand, if you are happy for photos of your wedding day to be shared from the off, social media channels are a great way for people who were unable to attend to feel part of the celebrations. This is a route that actor David Cross and actress Amber Tamblyn took when they were married in October 2012.
The images above were shared by The Roots drummer Questlove on his Instagram account, who was acting as the official DJ – and unofficial photographer! The couples relaxed approach to the general public having access to their big day was in keeping with the rest of the ceremony; an informal affair that took place at a mystery woodland location. However, not every couple has used social media as part of their wedding in such a positive way.
The Bad
One soon to be bride in China recently made a grave mistake by questioning the generosity of her invited guests via her November 2nd Facebook status, posting:
“I’m not opening a charity….If you really only want to give me a HK$500 [£40] cash gift, then don’t bother coming to my wedding,”
Whilst we suspect that those who are invited to the ceremony were miffed by the strop, it is those that aren’t invited that the couple are now surely worrying about. The status update soon went viral, causing plenty of anger in the social world. The bride’s identity and the location of the wedding were soon spread across Facebook – resulting in a protest being arranged!
Although the giving of money to the bride and groom is traditional Chinese custom, general consensus is that the bride has taken it a step too far, with over 1,000 protestors indicating that they will be attending the wedding to voice their disapproval. We have purposely left out the name of the bride as not to attract further attention to her not too distant wedding.
The Ugly
As we have seen, social media can be used in both good and bad ways in the build up to and on the wedding day itself. However, social media isn’t just a way of communicating; it is also a powerful weapon if wielded correctly – as evidenced by our final story.
In June 2012, an Australian couple, from the city of Geelong, took time out of their wedding day celebrations to post images of their wedding cake. The reason being that the cake which was delivered was someway off the example photograph that they had provided.
The bride and groom were so unhappy with the cake that they decided against presenting it to their guests; asking the Geelong bakery that made it for a full refund – a request that was turned down.
However, the bakery, which had been in operation for 35 years, experienced backlash to their below-quality cake, with more than 1,300 Facebook users sharing the images. The response was so overwhelming that the bakery decided to take down its website and requested that their details be kept out of all media reports. They have also since offered compensation to the newlyweds.
So there we have it; social media can be both a blessing and a curse when it comes to weddings. Do you think that the advent of social media has added to the joy of holding a wedding? Or are you in the other camp, believing that incorporating social only serves to cheapen your big day? Let us know your thoughts!
This post was written by Mike and Andrew – a marketing bod and a copywriter from Paper Themes: designers of personalised wedding stationery in the UK.
