Social Media and Weddings – The Role of Romance
In 1911, the editor Arthur Brisbane told a group of advertising men to, “Use a picture. It’s worth a thousand words.” Later, in 1921, advertising executive Fred Barnard wrote, “One look is worth a thousand words.” Today, both men might be more likely to say, “One social media picture or post is worth a thousand likes and followers,” when it comes to the growing influence of social media on weddings. This also applies to the growing concern that the role of social media at weddings is removing the romance factor from a couple’s special day, replacing it with a digitally created bliss posted at the instant it was created.
As the average cost of a wedding has risen to $35,000, trends in social media at weddings continue to grow, as today’s social media-savvy couples continue to embrace the role that social media and influencers play on wedding planning decisions. As such, it’s a wonder that traditional vendor services are still in demand, as old-school photographers and videographers look to capture classical romance while keeping a watchful eye on the fast-moving digital world, which may potentially drive tradition to obsolescence.
The increased demand and use of social media at weddings has many soon-to-be brides and grooms torn between the pros and cons of what social media offers when compared to more traditional wedding photography and videography. Wedding industry experts and planners in Indian River County (IRC) suggest that couples compare what each option offers, the cost of each choice, and how the couple may have to compromise to get what they want. For the engaged couple, it may come down to opting for a slower pace and lower budget versus the instantaneous availability of wedding images for friends and family, which often comes with a higher cost for the social media content creator’s digital expertise.
Looking at traditional photography and videography vendor services in IRC, wedding experts are quick to point out that even as the cost of weddings increase, the costs of hiring a photographer and/or videographer have remained relatively static. While an increase for the rising cost of photo production has been seen, it’s still well within acceptable limits for budget-conscious couples in IRC. The one drawback to traditional photography noted by couples is the waiting period to see photo proofs, which is in contrast to the immediate satisfaction of being able to see and post social media pictures literally seconds after they are taken at a wedding.
An important consideration of using a social media wedding content creator—a person who specializes in creating content for social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.—is that their main focus is to capture and share photos and videos online as soon as possible. This means that there is little or no control from the couple themselves about what is being shared. Wedding experts agree that this is a major point all couples should remember.
On the other hand, traditional photography allows the couple to review, edit, and approve what photos they would like posted online and at what time they would like them posted. Using a traditional photographer allows for better management of what is shared from the wedding before the couple decides when to share their images and wedding videos. The newlyweds may choose to leisurely enjoy reviewing their wedding photos when they return from their honeymoon, and then share memories of their special day with their family before the photos are ultimately shared with wedding guests on online platforms.
Another digital-related wedding trend that is still popular is having an “unplugged” wedding, where a couple asks their guests not to use their phones to take pictures or videos at the wedding. The whole point of having an unplugged wedding is to ensure that the guests remain in the moment. For couples looking to embrace tradition, an unplugged wedding can be the perfect choice; however, for couples that want to share all aspects of their wedding on social media as soon as they happen, an unplugged wedding would most likely not be their first option.
For the majority of today’s couples planning weddings in IRC, it seems that hiring a wedding content creator for their nuptials is the latest “must-have” trending item. Unlike a solo wedding photographer or videographer, a wedding content creator can help capture candid moments and possibly capitalize on viral trends later to be shared on social accounts. Among couples that opt for a wedding content creator, their romance is seen the instant that the content creator posts swoon-worthy photos of the happy couple. However, for many other couples who choose to limit the influence and presence of social media content at their wedding, their romance is just as instantly obvious to all those who know them and have witnessed the love they share.
Photo courtesy of Ken Kienow Wedding Photography
Photo courtesy of Easy Weddings
Photo courtesy of Hueido.com
