I’m planning a wedding. And you know what’s right at the top of my list of wedding worries, right above writing my vows?
Working out how to live-tweet the event using a personalised wedding hashtag, of course. (Insert heavy, heavy sarcasm.)
Seriously, though: apparently there’s a new wedding trend where you pay someone a vast sum to coordinate your #weddingsocialmedia.
And the service, which costs the equivalent of $3250, is officially titled “the social media wedding concierge.” (Pass that extra retro lollybag, I think I’m about to be sick.)
W Hotels in New York, which offers the service, describes it as follows…
From live tweets and #hashtags to Vine videos and Instagram filters, W’s Social Media Wedding Concierge will document the “I Dos” and encourage guests to utilize a dedicated wedding hashtag for every one of their posts.
The concierge service even involves curating ‘registry wish lists’ and dream honeymoon Pinterest boards, as well as social media coverage of pre-wedding events like the engagement, cake tasting, and dress-finding process.
Right then.
Predictably enough, the service has inspired total hilarity on the Interwebs, with critics taking to Twitter to poke fun at the service.
But despite the internet unanimously deciding this wedding trend is the craziest since “live-streaming” vows and crowdsourcing wedding photos, W Hotels is apparently unfazed.
The hotel chain’s global social media strategist Alyssa Kiefer said in an interview with Fast Company today that she’s not too bothered by online criticism directed at the service.
“To some, this may seem a bit over the top and we’re okay with that,” she said.
“We’re sure couples balked at the idea of traditional wedding planners years ago and now you wouldn’t think of planning a wedding without one.”
Ms Kiefer added that the service was inspired by behaviour guests have already exhibited, such as updating their Facebook statuses at the altar.
(Hang on. Has anyone in the history of ever, actually DONE that? But anyway…)
Ms Kiefer also said that wedding social media concierge might be the perfect way to share your day with distant rellies.
“Perhaps a relative can’t make it from another country or you just want a modern-day ‘scrapbook” of sorts,” she added.
Hm, a modern-day scrapbook.
A very, very #OverpricedAndKindOfMental scrapbook…
Have you been to a wedding with a #hashtag? Would you have one for your own wedding? Why/why not?
Top Comments
I am getting married in two weeks and we will be using a hashtag purely for the day. We really just want to be able to look back on the moments other people share on the day in an easy way.
But that is as far as we are going - as for my and my fiance, our phones, twitter, facebook and whatever else will be far away from us on the day/night!
I have also been to another wedding with a hashtag but the tag didn't work so it fell a bit flat - make sure you test the hastag first!
We have a wedding hashtag (#livandbengetmarried if anyone wants to know) and its been awesome to use in the months leading up to our big day in June. We have friends and family all over the globe and they have been following the tag and commenting along with our preparations. It almost feels like they are here with us, even when they can't be. On the day, I love the idea of the tag been used so we can check out peoples captured moments. Moments we would probably miss as the bride and groom The benefit of the hashtag is that it puts every photo, tweet and status into a little 'folder' that we can look back at.
That said, I wouldn't pay a wedding co-coordinator to live tweet for me, and we have planned all of our wedding ourselves. But I think our hashtag rocks!
This makes sense and I can see how it would be a good idea, especially for friends and family overseas to follow things. Love it! Its your wedding day, not anyone elses, do what you like!