There’s nothing more exciting than logging on to Facebook and seeing that someone you know is engaged or has just gotten married. Whether they are your best friend or an acquaintance, we can’t help but want to know every little detail about their Big Day and shamelessly pour through all the photos!
Images courtesy of Leanne and Chris’s Italian Real Wedding
Some brides and grooms embrace the social media culture and openly encourage their guests with the use of a catchy wedding day hash tag. Other couples, on the other hand, don’t and have an ‘un-plugged’ wedding, where guests are asked to turn their phones off.
Whilst we love a good wedding and even more so when it’s our turn to walk down the aisle, it is always worth bearing in mind a few essential social media wedding etiquette rules. Whether you are the bride, groom, friends or family, take on board the points below to ensure there aren’t any unforgivable social media faux pas!
Phone Fanatic Bride & Groom Cake Topper – Confetti Shop
#bride&groom
1.We’re engaged!
The love of your life has finally put a ring on it! We know you want to shout it from the rooftops, but it’s probably best to tell your closest friends and family in person before updating your status or posting a photo. They may be hurt that they weren’t the first to find out and it’s not worth causing upset before you’ve even set a date!
2. Pinspiration
Pinterest is excellent for wedding inspiration, but if you don’t want people to know what you’re planning for the big day, make the board private. You can invite people to post on your private boards – a perfect way of sharing dress ideas with your bridesmaids!
3. Wedding talk
Planning your wedding can sometimes be stressful and the people closest to us who are trying their best to help, might start getting on your nerves. It can be tempting to vent on Facebook, but avoid saying anything that might upset other people. The last thing you need when you have so much on your plate is to fall out with someone who’s help and support you actually really need.
4. A Facebook event
Using a Facebook event to invite people to a wedding is a subject that always divides people. The modern day bride with a love of social media may see it as the perfect way to invite her guests and communicate with them throughout the process. However some people argue that it is too casual and impersonal for such a special event and some people may not see it as an official invite, which may mean they dismiss it or forget about it. If you decide a Facebook invite is the way forward for you, perhaps follow it up with a personal private message confirming that it’s the official invite for the wedding and you really hope that they can make it.
5. Thank you
When you have hundreds of people to write thank you cards for, it may be tempting to write one on the computer which you can copy and paste and send via email or social media. However, a hand written card, even if brief, will mean a lot more to your guest and will show them how much it meant to you that they came.
#friends&family
1. Congratulations!
Double check that the bride and groom have announced their engagement online, before you post your congratulations for all to see. There maybe a reason that they haven’t put it up straight away.
2. Keep it to yourself
If the bride or groom tells you details about their wedding, don’t assume the whole world is allowed to know. So when the bride shares with you that the first dance is going to be a salsa to Shakira, avoid posting the video, tagging the bride and tweeting #weddingdance #excitedbridesmaids.
3. Dress shopping
If you are lucky enough to be invited wedding dress shopping with the bride, it’ll be tempting to take photos of her in every single dress to compare. Smart phones are our best friend, but you don’t want to risk the photos inadvertently cropping up prior to the wedding when you’re scrolling through your holiday pics with friends or, even worse, the groom!
4. On the day
Each bride and groom will have different ideas as to what’s acceptable on the day. Some may openly encourage social media, some may want you to switch your phones off. If in doubt, just use common sense – don’t start squatting in the aisle to get a good shot whilst they say their vows. This could be distracting for the bride and groom and you could get in the way of the professional photographer. We all know it’s rude to be on your phone at the dinner table, so save the selfies for after the meal when everyone’s having fun!
5. Cringe!
NEVER EVER post a less than perfect picture of the bride without her consent.
The moral of the story – have fun, enjoy the experience, but always think before you post!
Images courtesy of Pinterest unless otherwise stated.
