Although they are on the completely opposite sides of the spectrum, TheKnot.com has deemed both Supercharged and Unplugged weddings as two of the hottest trends on the horizon for 2014. So what is the best route to take for your own wedding? We at Bridal Spectacular breakdown the pros and cons for each.
Supercharged Weddings
The pros: For the social media and technology savvy couple, a supercharged wedding is the way to go. It is perfect if you don’t want to wait for your professional photographs to be ready because you are encouraging your guests to take photos throughout the entire wedding. To have a supercharged wedding, you begin by creating a custom hashtag that guests can use to tag the photos they take, such as #JohnLovesJane2014. You can inform your guests of the #weddinghashtag via your wedding invitation, on your wedding website and on signage throughout the wedding venue.
Then to take it a step further, you can use a projector or TV as a social media station so everyone can see the photos live throughout the night. You can pull up the hashtag feed on twitter or Evenstagram, which displays Instagram images in real time as they are posted. But, remember if your guests are snapping photos all night long, they are going to run out of battery quickly. To complete a supercharged wedding, create a charging station at the reception. To ensure the station looks like it belongs at a wedding, decorate tall cocktail tables with matching linens and have your florist create small flatbeds of roses or wheatgrass with little flowers and phone chargers popping up.
The cons: Having a supercharged wedding means you are going to have hundreds of flashes going off all wedding long and your guests may be so preoccupied with instagraming their photos, that they may miss out on your first dance.
Unplugged Weddings
The pros: The complete opposite of having a supercharged wedding, unplugged weddings prohibit the use of all technology, including cameras, phones and tablets. This is great if you want your guests to truly be engaged in your wedding and don’t like the idea of having them attached to their phones throughout the ceremony and reception. To create an unplugged wedding inform your guests in your wedding invitation and on your wedding website that your wedding is “unplugged.” You can include a simple note that says something like, “We want you to truly enjoy the ceremony and reception, so we ask that you please refrain from taking photos or video today and just have fun!” Then at the wedding, you can provide a phone check at the door or add the same note in your wedding program asking your guests to refrain from using their phones. You can also create cute signage throughout the wedding with the same message.
The cons: the biggest issue with an unplugged wedding is no matter how great your wedding photographer is, there is no way they can capture everything that will happen during your wedding. Limiting your guests’ use of cameras will also limit all of the great photos that your photographer may miss.
In the end, just think of what is most important to you (thousands of different photos, your guests’ complete and undivided attention or a combination of the two) and then create the kind of wedding that works best for you!
For more wedding planning tips and information please visit http://www.bridalspectacular.com or follow us on Facebook, twitter and Pinterest. And, be sure to save-the-date to attend our Autumn Bridal Show August 15 and 16 at Cashman Center where you will be able to gain even more wedding ideas and inspiration! Receive a $5 off admission when you buy tickets online! Click here and enter promo code: BRIDEBLOG2014