Weddings and Technology

Besides slideshows, how are couples integrating technology into their weddings?

 

From the International Panel of Wedding  Planners and Designers:
 Kristin Banta
KRISTIN BANTA EVENTS / LOS ANGELES

Before the actual wedding day, couples are using technology in a number of ways.  Most couples are now building wedding websites to streamline where and how information is distributed. Additionally, many couples are now using Pinterest to put together their ideas and concepts in order to more efficiently and effectively communicate their vision to their team of collaborators.

Once the wedding day arrives, many couples are creating dedicated hashtags for their wedding, so that they are more easily able to find their family and friend's photos from their wedding on instagram and twitter.  Additionally, newly weds are often posting wedding albums to facebook days (or mere hours) after their weddings have taken place.


Kelly Hood
BOHO WEDDINGS & EVENTS / SHEFFIELD UK

Playlists using Ipods and spotify are very popular instead of using a DJ, instagram for instant images of the wedding across twitter and Facebook. Couples creating their own wedding websites for guests information as well as wedding invitations.


Saundra Hadley
PLANNING FOREVER / MIDWEST

Instagram is the latest craze to promote the wedding while it's happening. Creating signage that indicates the #hashtag to use so guests can participate in promoting wedding photos. We are also seeing Pinterest being used for wedding party collaboration in the planning process. Closes the gap between family members that live all over the world.


Wayne Gurnick
MOMENTS BY WAYNE / LOS ANGELES

Technology plays a very important part in the wedding planning because for most couples, it’s an integral part of their daily life.  It’s standard practice to use the web to research, find and purchase products and services – wedding invitations, party favors, accessories and even bridal gowns.  Couples are also setting up wedding web sites and registries online and using social media to communicate with family and friends.

Pinterest and other image sharing web properties help couples research and share everything wedding.  Some couples use video streaming to share their wedding ceremony with those that are not able to attend.

An exciting new way to use technology is instantly sharing Photo Booth images via social media.  Computer generated images projected on the aisle during the ceremony and on the dance floor during the reception are on my list of favorites – these capabilities are made possible and affordably by technology. 


Bruce Russell Chiason
BY BRUCE RUSSELL / LONDON

The most common request is couples wanting to broadcast their ceremony on Skype, so family & friends who can't attend are able to share in their special day. 

On one occasion, a couple had iPads on each table, which provided guests with details such as the evening's itinerary, menu, and entertainment.  They also had information about each guest at the table and how each knew the bride & groom.  Guests could also use it to record personal messages and take photos throughout the evening, sharing them on Facebook & Twitter.  It was fun and interactive.


Karry Castillo
UNIQUELY YOURS / ORLANDO

One of our client couples recently shared a mini- cinematic film prior to their introduction into their reception . The film highlighted how they met, dated, and proposed. The bride had an amazing dramatic flair and sharp wit which when combined with her stage experiences resulted in a comedic and heartfelt film. 

Past clients have also incorporated technology through live simulcasts of their ceremonies with family overseas, flipbook stations via The Flipbook People, photo sharing through Wedding Snap, personal wedding websites, same day video edits, and choreographed lighting for reception events just to name a few.

See the rest of the answers here: http://weddingindustryexperts.com/pd4.html

How are you planning to incorporate techy goodies in your wedding?

Find Your Wedding Syle: a quiz

Are you Rustic chic or ultra modern? Take this quick quiz and get an idea!

1. Your date night involves:
1. Fireside cuddling
2. A Classic - dinner and a movie
3. Mini golf and sushi
4. A hike and a picnic for two
5. Art gallery and cocktails at your favorite hot spot
2. You must have shoes:
1. Soft and worn cowboy boots
2. Classic black heels
3. Sparkly, bow-dazzled ballerina flats
4. Bohemian sandals
5. Patent leather stilettos with rhinestones
3. Your jewelry box has:
1. Antique brooches that have been passed down
2. Diamond studs and a pearl necklace
3. Huge cocktail rings
4. Lots of gold and rosewood bracelets
5. Modern, geometric shapes and lots of bangles
4. Who do you take your coffee?
1. With cream and sugar
2. Earl Grey in fine china
3. Vanilla latte in a polka dot mug
4. Vintage gold-rimmed cup from a flea market
5. Double espresso in a glass mug
5.  Who is your ultimate style girl crush?
1. Taylor Swift
2. Anne Hathaway
3. Zooey Deschanel
4. Sienna Miller
5. Alexa Chung
6. When you envision your wedding, the colors that come to mind are:
1. Neutrals with a dash of metallic
2. Black and White
3. A mix of bright colors and patterns
4. Mixed greens
5. Bold and monochromatic
7. Favored mani/pedi style:
1. A barely-there shade of pink
2. Classic red
3. Neon
4. French mani/pedi
5. Ombre nails in grey
8. When the weather is chilly, you opt for:
1. A cozy, chunky wool sweater
2. A tailored peacoat
3. A cheeky cape in a bold color
4. A faux fur vest
5. A leather motorcycle jacket
9. What kind of flower girl are you?
1. Olive branches and lavender
2. Fluffy, gorgeous peonies
3. I love the pop of a yellow billy ball
4. A mix of fresh-picked wild-flowers
5. I love all things succulent
10. If you had to pick a favorite romantic movie:
1. Legends of the Fall
2. Casablanca
3. Amelie
4. Mamma Mia
5. Love Actually
11. Imagine your dream home:
1. Ranch-style with wide open fields
2. New England colonial with a white picket fence
3. Vintage warehouse with exposed brick
4. Villa with a courtyard and gardens
5. Big city loft with a Euro kitchen
12. Your ideal sweet treats for wedding-day nibbling:
1. Homemade pies
2. Three tiered vanilla cake with raspberry filling and fondant
3. Doughnuts and macarons
4. A cake with buttercream frosting, topped with fresh flowers
5. Ice-cream sandwiches served from a food truck

 If you have:
Mostly 1s - you are a chic rustic bride
Mostly 2s - Classic
Mostly 3s - Whimsical
Mostly 4s - Al fresco
Mostly 5s - Thoroughly modern

Wedding Traditions and Trivia

Traditions and customs... weddings are filled with them. "Something old, something blue..." and all that stuff! It's more than just trivia; Have you ever stopped to wonder what on earth all of these wedding traditions and rituals actually mean and where or how they originated?

Most of these rituals and traditions have endured the test of time, having emerged centuries ago. How fascinating is that? How is it that they survive?

These wedding traditions and customs have historically been maintained over the years and handed down through the centuries because such traditions carry with them the promise that they will bring happiness and good fortune to the couple at this transitional time in their life - and who could be brave enough to tamper with that?

But more than this, by including wedding traditions, customs, or rituals in your wedding, you can make it more meaningful by choosing traditions that speak to you in some personal way. It's almost magical to include traditions and customs in your wedding that date back hundreds of years, knowing that couples for generation upon generation before you have included the same rituals in their weddings. These traditions are the thread that ties us to history. They are like a gift from the past. Including some of these wedding traditions in your wedding will enhance your wedding experience, and at the very least, reading about them will fascinate, amaze, and maybe even amuse you...

Did you know that:

For centuries the month of June has been the most popular choice for weddings - but the original reason might surprise you. You see, during the 1400 -1500s, May was the month in which the "annual bath" occurred. Yes, just as it sounds, back then people were only able to bathe thoroughly once each year. As such, since the over-all population was smelling relatively fresh in June, it was a good time to hold a special event like a wedding! Further, the month of June is named after the goddess Juno, who was the Roman counterpart to Hera, the goddess of the hearth and home, and patron of wives.

Ancient tradition thought it was unlucky to marry in the month of May because in Romans times the Feast of the Dead and the Festival of the Goddess of Chastity both occurred in May.

To practice writing your new name prior to the wedding (and what bride doesn't do this?) is believed to tempt fate and thus, is also believed to result in bad luck during the marriage!

According to an old legend, the month in which you marry may have some bearing on the fate of the marriage:

"Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true;
When February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate;
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know;
Marry in April when you can, joy for Maiden and for Man;
Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day;
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you will go;
Those who in July do wed, must labor for their daily bred;
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see;
Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine;
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry;
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember;
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last".


It was thought that misfortune would come to those who married during lent - "Marry in Lent, live to repent" - because lent was a time for abstinence.

The tradition for the bride to wear white began in the 16th century and is still commonly followed today. This is a symbol of the bride's purity and her worthiness of her groom. The tradition became solidified during the time of Queen Victoria who rebelled against the royal tradition for Royal brides to wear silver. Instead, the queen preferred the symbolism which is expressed by wearing white. The brides of the time quickly emulated the queen, and the tradition has continued in full force to this day.

There is an old saying that "the bride wore a green gown". This implies the belief that she was promiscuous before marriage and refers to the image of her rolling around in grassy fields with a young man.

Traditionally brides have been thought to be particularly vulnerable to evil spirits. Many wedding customs and traditions were originated as an attempt to fight away such evil. The veil was worn with the belief that it would disguise the bride and fool the evil spirits. It was not until 1800 in Britain that the veil came to symbolize modesty and chastity. Today, the veil remains the ultimate symbol of virginity.

It is believed to be bad luck for the bride to wear her complete outfit before the wedding day. As an extension to this, some brides leave a final stitch on the dress undone until the day of the wedding for good luck.

The tradition of tying tin cans to the back of the newlywed's vehicle originated long ago when items which would produce noise were tied to the back of the couple's carriage to scare away evil spirits.

Cakes have played a part of weddings all through history. The Romans shared a plain cake of flour, salt and water during the wedding ceremony itself, as Native Americans still do today. The traditional fruit cake originated in Britain, with the fruit and nuts being a symbol of fertility.

Cutting the wedding cake together, still a predominant ritual at weddings, symbolizes the couple's unity, their shared future, and their life together as one.

In old England it was traditional to bake a ring into the wedding cake as a symbol of bliss and happiness. The guest whose piece of cake contained the ring, it was said, could look forward to a full year of uninterrupted happiness.

The custom of throwing rice at the newlywed couple was to symbolize fertility. In some cultures, it was not rice which was thrown, but rather small cakes or pieces of a crumbled cake. Today some still throw rice, but more commonly confetti or rose petals are thrown in place of rice due to a number of practical and environmental reasons - the symbolism remains the same! [Rice can be hazardous and often fatal to birds who frequently attempt to eat it off the ground. It is also very easy to slip upon, presenting potential for injury.]

It is customary, near the end of the reception, for the single female guests to gather around the bride who will throw her bouquet over her shoulder for one of them to catch. Originally, the bride would actually throw one of her shoes over her shoulder during this ritual. Tradition says that whoever catches the bouquet shall be the next to marry. She keeps the bouquet to ensure this destiny.

A parallel custom is for the groom to remove the garter worn by the bride and throw it back over his shoulder toward the unmarried male guests. Whoever catches it will reportedly be the next gentleman to marry.

"Something old, something new, Something borrowed, Something blue, And a silver sixpence in your shoe". This well known little rhyme originated during Victorian times and is still commonly practiced for good luck. Traditionally, the "old" would have been the garter of a happily married woman, with the thought being that her good fortune would be passed down along with it. The "new" stood for the couple's new bright and happy future together. "Something borrowed" was usually a much valued item from the bride's family. It symbolized prosperity within the new union, but would bring that good fortune only if it was returned to the family. "Something blue" came from an ancient tradition in which the bride would wear a blue ribbon in her hair as a symbol for fidelity. Placing a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe was to ensure wealth in the couple's life. Today brides often slip a penny inside their shoe before the ceremony in place of the difficult to acquire silver sixpence. As such, the rhyme is often adapted to "...And a lucky penny in your shoe".