Technology and the Wedding – Top Tips for Best Practices

Technology is part of our everyday lives. So naturally, it influences one of the biggest occasions we experience—the wedding day. With the advent of social media, couples were content to share comments on Facebook, write a tweet or two, and even post some photos to Instagram. But today, brides and grooms want their wedding experience to be truly tech-savvy.

Whether it’s through an event designer, a PR team, or a social media concierge service, modern couples are shelling out cash for someone to handle all of their interactive details. That’s why Best of NJ spoke to some of the experts on how to incorporate technology into weddings. You don’t have to be a tech wizard to see why these tips and tricks can add to the magic of anyone’s special day.

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Sassi Sammi

According to celebrity event designer/television personality Samantha Goldberg, aka Sassi Sammi, the social media trend continues to reinvent itself. “Brides and grooms can get information to, at minimum, 90 percent of their guests quickly and with $0 investment when it comes to finances. The days of phone calls and websites, while still being used, have been replaced by theme pages on Facebook and/or Twitter, which can be custom designed by yours truly, The Hosts,” Goldberg says. Her team works out of offices in Summit, New Jersey, as well as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.
For New Jersey’s “social media -aholics,” Sassi Sammi offers these fab and budget friendly tips:

1. “Discounts on hotel accommodations, ways of travel, even fun local activities can be shared using social media. You can check out sites like Orbitz, Travelocity, and Groupon.”
2. Uploading photos to social media in the days after the wedding is also a great idea. “The bride and groom can share how excited they are to have received gifts, such as a certain china set that they really wanted. After the wedding, there is nothing more complimentary to a guest than to see you using the gift you registered for.”
3. “Say goodbye to phone calls to hundreds of people if the wedding day has last minute changes. You can update friends and family in real time.” But Golderberg also cautions that “While social media is useful…it’s not always perfect…so to ensure information is shared properly, especially with those whom are technologically challenged, you may need to have a group text set up.”
4. “For your guests who want to send cash, set up a PayPal account. They can upload funds for the bride and groom without the penalty before the big day. Cash gifts on PayPal have no fees, unlike Western Union and other forms. It certainly saves the guests whom are cash generous to have this given safely, instead of worrying about the card walking out the door!”
5. “One last little tip…and there is so much more…share photos up until the big day. You also can have your photographer send a few photos while the night is in its prime. With Instagram and more you can share your joy with the world. Everybody needs a little good news, even if it comes from a perfect stranger.”

Maid of Social

When you need a PR team for your wedding day, you can contact wedding experts Samantha Roberts and Heather Hall from Maid of Social. Based in New York City, MOS will travel to any city, even a destination wedding. “Behind-the-scenes we’re able to brainstorm your wedding hashtag, connect you with brands and media companies who want your photos the day-of (and help secure features in advance), and work directly with your vendors to use the power of social media to showcase your wedding to the world—all while it’s happening live,” Hall says.
You may ask yourself, “Couldn’t I just have my bridesmaid use my iPhone or GoPro on the wedding day?” According to Hall, you could, but your bridesmaid should be able to enjoy the day with you—not be responsible for posting on social media throughout the day. “Don’t forget, after a few glasses of champagne, who knows what she’ll post.”
Heather Hall also shared Maid of Social’s top list of trends for tech-savvy weddings:

1. Drones. “Drones are becoming more and more popular in weddings, because why not have an aerial view from above too? These cameras capture everything, and everyone.”
2. 360-degree cameras. These immersive, interactive cameras capture 360 video that can be shared on social media. They miss nothing.
3. Wi-Fi cameras. “Gone are the days where we’re expected to wait weeks, or even months, for our professional photos to be developed and edited. Wi-Fi cameras allow your photographer to take a picture and export it immediately.”
4. Emailable photo booths. “Not only do these photo booths take amazing shots, they send the photo directly to your phone via email so that you don’t have to carry your picture around all evening. You really just want to Instagram it anyway.”
5. Wedding cake projections. These create videos that glide over the cake to create a show. You can choose a personal home movie, photo slideshow, or a Disney theme for your projection.
6. Selfie sticks. “Call them what you will, the selfie stick has reinvented the traditional ‘selfie.’ No more awkward close-up photos of just you, the selfie stick allows you to capture a much wider angle (a better one at that) and get the family in the photo.”
7. GoPros. “These cameras have been found in the bridal bouquet, to the altar, etc., but they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Why not set one of these babies up at your reception so that you can capture the party long after your professional photographer and videographer have left the building?
8. 3D printing for wedding cakes. “Wedding cakes come in all different shapes, sizes, themes, and colors, but recently we’re seeing works of art. Adding 3D embellishments can really make a statement.”

W New York – Union Square

For couples who want to build a social media footprint on their special day, they can purchase the Social Media Concierge Service exclusively offered at W New York – Union Square. For $3,000.00, according to Hospitality Director Leanne Drago, couples can book the service and use some of the following techie options:

1. 1. Document the engagement, cake tasting, wedding dress shopping, and everything in between.
   2. Create and upload images to Instagram and Vine.
   3. Encourag guests to utilize a predetermined hashtag (to help create a Modern Day, digital “scrapbook” of sorts).
   4. Set up and maintain a wedding blog before and after the big day.
   5. Curate a registry wish list and even dream honeymoon boards on Pinterest.
   6. Create a Shutterfly book complete with social media highlights from the planning process and a collage of the best Tweets and Instagram photos sent during the wedding.

Hero (Top) Feature Image: © dloboda / Dollar Photo Club
Additional Images (in Order) Courtesy:
Samantha Goldberg / Gulnara Studio Photography
Heather Hall / Brian Leahy Photography
Samantha Roberts / Brian Leahy Photography
W Union Square / W New York – Union Square