Whether it is donuts instead of cake or using sparklers during the first dance, there is no shortage of wedding trends. These wedding trends, after all, are not only an excellent way of breaking from tradition but also a fantastic way of personalizing your wedding day - to make it your own! Using a "wedding hashtag" is one of those wedding trends that we have been seeing more and more, to a point where there are now wedding hashtag generators.
What does a "wedding hashtag" entail, you ask? It is a phrase or a word preceded by a hash or pound sign (#). In social media, it is often employed to identify messages on a specific topic. Think Instagram, for example, and how your friends use #tbt for Throwback Thursday photos. In weddings, the hashtag is used in the same way, often including a play on a couple's names. I just used one of these wedding hashtag generators, and with my name and Michael's, it gave me: #SheenAndMichaelTieTheKnot
So, why use it, you may ask? Well, here are three great reasons why you should use a wedding hashtag. After each one, I tell you why it might not work for you!
1. Documenting your big day.
More than anything, a wedding hashtag is great at documenting your wedding day. Sure, you will have a photographer; hopefully, one who can give you a sneak peek of your wedding photos. However, most wedding photographers will not have your professional photos ready until 2 to 3 weeks after your wedding, and that is usually a generous estimate. A hashtag is, therefore, an awesome way to consolidate all of the photos (as is the case for Instagram) and thoughts (as is the case for Twitter) that your friends and family have of your wedding day. Gone are the days of having to hunt every single guest down, stalking their social media profile for anything related to your wedding. With your wedding hashtag, you can just quickly search it and see everything, especially photos, related to your wedding.
Why might it not work for you?
One of the wedding trends that we are also seeing is "unplugged" weddings, where guests are not allowed to use their phones, usually during the ceremony, as it can distract wedding guests from actually enjoying the moment. I will write a separate blog on why you might consider an unplugged wedding, but for now, know that if you have an unplugged wedding, do not expect your guests to use your wedding hashtag. #nophonesnohashtags.
2. Engage your wedding guests!
I have noted in a previous blog post that one of my worries is how to keep my guests entertained on my wedding day. What will they do as they wait for me and my SO to come back from our post-ceremony photo shoot? Well, let me tell you that having a wedding hashtag is a great way to engage your guests. Make sure to put a sign of your hashtag, especially close to the photobooth or the reception area. That way, when they take a photo of your gorgeous cake, or of themselves in front of the bridal party table, they can hashtag your wedding! If you have a massive guest list, you will unfortunately not be able to spend the same amount of time with every wedding guest. Your wedding hashtag will be a good way for them to have fun at your wedding and share the day with you from their perspective. The day after, you can check your hashtag and see all the shenanigans everyone was up to on your big day.
Why it might not work for you?
The wedding hashtag will not serve its purpose if your guests are 1) not into social media, 2) not all that technologically inclined, and 3) a little bit order (more than half of Instagram users are under the age of 29). As much as I would love for my grandma to hashtag my wedding, she would not even know where to begin even if she wanted to. #toooldtohashtag
3. Personalized your wedding day.
Look, weddings can sometimes be a constant struggle between keeping with tradition and making it our own. Having a wedding hashtag provides an avenue to modernize your wedding a bit, to make it a little more you! If you and your spouse-to-be are into technology, into social media, then a wedding hashtag is one of the ways you can personalize your wedding. It is not unlike having a signature wedding cocktail or having a particular wedding theme. Ultimately, a wedding hashtag will be one of the many things that will reflect the type of people both are.
Why it might not work for you?
One of the dangers of using a wedding hashtag is using one that has already been used. It is especially the case if your first and last names are common. Imagine the next day, scrolling through your hashtag, and you find that it is mixed with another couple's photos. I guess the wedding hashtag generator is needed after all! #copiedhashtag
KNOW THE RISK:
Wedding hashtags are fun to use, no question about that. BUT - and this is a big but - you should educate your wedding guests about it to make the most of it; you should try to make it uniquely yours; and lastly, it should not serve as a replacement to your professional photos. An article has already been written about the risks of wedding hashtags here! #youvebeenwarned
Share in the comment section below any awesome, funny, or cringy wedding hashtags you've come across!