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WEDDING PLANNER
126 | FALL & WINTER 2018
CHICAGO WEDDING & PARTY RESOURCE
CHICAGOWEDDINGRESOURCE.COMHow to Create the Perfect
#WeddingHashtag
You can’t tie the knot in the digital age without an official hashtag.
Here’s how to make yours #unforgettable
By Carley Lintz, CTW Features
Social media is an ever-present part
of our lives these days – even on our
wedding day. From Pinterest boards
collecting inspiration to ceremony live
streams for guests across the globe,
weddings have been significantly
impacted by the digital space.
One of the most common examples of
this influence is wedding hashtags. What
started as a way to gather discussions on
Twitter in 2007 is now a standard part of
wedding planning, on par with wedding
favors and color schemes.
“Hashtags are simply the best way to
ensure that not only guests, but also the
couple themselves, are able to find all of
the images taken during their wedding,”
explains Chelsea LaFollette, co-owner
of Brilliant Event Planning in New York
and Boston. “Hashtags allow everyone to
quickly and easily find these images the
next day or even weeks or months later.
New technology also allows the couple
to post images tagged with their hashtag
on their website or even on screens
during the wedding itself.”
Hashtags aren’t just a practical way to
collect wedding pictures, though. They
also present an opportunity for couples
to get creative. “It’s yet another extension
of a couple’s personality, which is why
I think people gravitate toward the
‘punny’, personalized hashtag. Like the
cake or the flowers or the dress, they
want everything to be tailor-made to
them,” says Marielle Wakim, founder
of Happily Ever Hashtagged, a custom
hashtag creation company.
When designing your own hashtag, keep
these do’s and don’ts in mind to ensure
it’s both fun and effective.
DO Find Your Inspiration
Not sure where to start? Look for ideas
in your last or first names, the venue,
wedding date or a shared interest. Some
of Wakim’s favorites she’s created for
clients include #MollyPicksUpTheTempo
for Molly Goldbach and Chad Tempo
and #JessCaseScenario for Jessica
Kennemer and Case McCoy.
If you’re still stuck, try crowdsourcing.
“Ask your friends and family for their input.
Some of the best ideas will come from
unexpected sources!” LaFollette says.
DON’T Make It Cliché
Not only do you want a hashtag that
reflects your spirit as a couple, you want
it to actually be functional. “Because a
hashtag is really a sorting mechanism,
the only pitfall I would try to avoid is
using one that’s been used by hundreds
of other couples (like #SmithWedding),
because at the end of the day you’ll end
up sorting through thousands of photos
to see the ones your guests posted,”
Wakims says.
DO Keep It Short
No one likes longwinded weddings
toasts; the same sentiment is true for
hashtags. “The key is to keep it short and
easy for guests to remember. Fingers can
get a bit clumsy as the night (and open
bar) goes on!” LaFollette adds.
DON’T Forget to Copyedit
Before putting your hashtag on the save
the dates, take a moment to review
it for any unfortunate spellings, word
combinations or innuendos.
DO Use It Everywhere
The best way to encourage guests to
use your hashtag is to keep it top of
mind. “Post it everywhere! Put it on your
programs, welcome sign, bar signs,
menu – everywhere you can fit it in,”
LaFollette says.
For maximum impact, think outside
the box, Wakims says. “I’ve seen them
projected onto floors. One friend of mine
even had hers plastered on the side of a
bus!”
© CTW Features