Social Media has become natural for most of us, and hardly a day passes when we manage to stay away from it. In such a scenario, where even the most trivial moments in our lives make a presence on digital platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and You Tube, how could an important and growing event like a wedding ceremony remain unaffected by their strong influence. Now-a-days a lot before and after the wedding communications, photo and video sharing, Thanksgiving and loving gesture flow in and out Online. Not to be forgotten, the informal approach of guests and relatives in India who might not let them take great care ’bout your personal concerns or likings before you send anything in cyberspace. Considering all the pros and cons of social media, it is wise to wear a proper strategy for the management of social media in Indian weddings advance.
A smart social media plan for the wedding can not only allow you to save time, money and effectively communicate with your audience avoid unwanted digital accident, but can also help with presentation and branding event online, if desired, add extra fun to the shiny Indian Weddings.
Online Wedding Invitations
Wedding announcements and invitations have been much easier. Also e-Vites are more creative, environmentally friendly and low budget as it saves so much paperwork and hassle of deciding on the traditional short pattern and design. You can even send a creatively made YouTube invite your video announcing your wedding personally.
Guests can also confirm their availability and presence online even makes it easier for the wedding organizer to coordinate things accordingly.
Building Memories Online
Just a few years back had to wait for days for wedding photos to be processed and printed, but today with the digital camera images can be clicked and uploaded immediately. The digital images can be artistically enhanced and uploaded on Facebook, Instagram and Flickr etc.
The best moments of the ceremony can be shared directly via Ustream, LiveVows, webcastmywedding.net etc. for special friends and relatives who stay abroad for some reason can not attend the wedding.
A shared Flickr account can be set up for all guests to upload and share the wedding photos there and then. An online photo sharing site program as iRave where your guests can send their pictures, allows you to control who can see them and even approve them before they go online.
Branding Your Wedding Online
Most of the social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and Google Plus now has a provision of hash tagging (#) that allows users to post all the updates related to a specific topic
You can make a specific hash tag on your wedding and ask all your friends and family attending the wedding to send images or comments using it, making it easy for anyone to search and access all the updates related to the events. Just make sure that the hash tag is unique and catchy so your event postings do not tangle up with the others.
The number of people that follows, shares and received comments on your posts from your known and unknown will surely thrill you later. You can also seek assistance from a professional Social Media Expert for weddings, if you are willing to publish your event on a broader level.
Better Engagement of guests
The wedding participants can be introduced to each other online before the actual wedding, allows them to know each other well and enjoy the wedding, when they personally meet them in the ceremony.
Guests can interact and post comments on the wall, see who everyone is invited to the party and plan their move to the wedding day accordingly. This can be done better by creating a pre-party side (groups) on Facebook or WhatsApp, so only invited people can chat and discuss.
Also, ordered a friend or a young close relative to be the official treble to update the other guests on the work of the events.
Search the best wedding planners and Service Providers
Social media helps you with your pre-wedding preparations, such as research, compare, contact and booking vendors for catering, wedding venues, décor, music, transport services, etc. The type and quality of the work done by them can be confirmed through their postings online . This way you can access the real and best wedding planning services.
Netiquettes to Watch
While social media is an open space to present themselves freely and openly, one must follow certain etiquettes while using it for a good public image.
Despite the convenience of sending e-Vites to your guests get a few printed maps for these particular relatives who may feel left out and offended by the casual online invitation. Care should be taken to give them the map and invite them personally. Also inform your friends and family members about the engagement and wedding date before sending them on social media in order to avoid hurting their feelings. The thank you cards, all handwritten and personally. Do not use social media to thank the guests.
If you do not want your guests to write any of your photos in social media, then you should mention it in the wedding program. Posters or Small Boards with humble messages not to click pictures without permission could be placed at appropriate locations at the wedding venue. However, guests should not be held back by clicking and upload their own pictures from the event.
Customers and vendors should also respect the privacy of hosts and people around and should take extreme caution while posting anything about the wedding on social media.
Few words of caution
Marriages is a transition from carefree single-hood to a responsible family life. Especially in a gradual development even conservative society of our a few precautions for the use of social medium during this transitional period are advised.
A quick walk through friends lists on your FB, WhatsApp, Google and Yahoo accounts and getting rid of the unwanted ones before the wedding would be wise. Absurd old messages and posts should better be deleted. The settings privacy and security, contact information and passwords must be changed as per requirement.
While maintaining transparency and clarity in any relationship helps build trust and bonding, but respect for each-other’s individuality and privacy is needed would be spouses. Sharing of passwords, read others’ messages and impersonation should be avoided to the utmost for a happy married life ahead of both partners.
Very Versus virtual world
Social sites are definitely a powerful medium and wonderful way to share your “Special Day” with your acquaintances, but all participants the wedding, including the bride and groom should not get very obsessed with it. They should enjoy as much as they can interact with the guests and treasure those precious real moments. Let Virtual neighborly take a back seat for some time.
Find and Book Best Wedding Planners in Delhi & Mumbai on Wedding Eye .