Engagement announcements, invites, and hashtags – Simple matters or not?
Wedding Guru Priti Raichura reveals some of her greatest tips and explains how she can help when it comes to making your engagement known, as well as what to do when planning invites for your exciting day!
Should you use social media to make the announcement of your engagement?
I would suggest, before you post anything, that you make sure you’ve told your family and close friends before posting anything on social media. I would also suggest keeping the news off social media for as long as you can hold off. The minute the world finds out about your news, you will be bombarded with questions of “what next”, and it can become all too overwhelming if you haven’t even considered planning things yet!
Wedding Hashtag
If you are like me, and like to share all of your pictures on social media, select a broadcasting wedding hashtag. It is a great way to ensure that you and your guests will be able to see and enjoy photos as they’re posted to Instagram. You can even share your hashtag earlier and maybe soon after you’ve made your announcement. You can include it on your ‘save the date’ creatives and also consider printing it on your framed signs visually placed around the venue. If you’re going to have a photo booth, ensure the hashtag is displayed on the prop table for all to see.
How Do We Word Our Invitations?
The majority of couples word their invitations themselves but tradition would have the bride’s parents be the ones inviting all the guests. However, times are changing, and it’s up to the couple to decide now.
Dietary Accommodations
Remember, you can’t accommodate every diet plan, so don’t get stressed out if you can’t. There will always be that one guest that doesn’t even like cake! However, most people can be catered for, and if you speak to your caterer, they should be able to cater for genuine dietary requirements such as gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, Jain, halal or kosher meals. Be sure to give the Maître d’ a list of special meals with table numbers for these guests before the reception, so that the service can remain as seamless as possible. If you know your crowd is full of people on unusual food regimens, consider having a buffet or stations instead of a plated meal. Most venues offer options for everyone these days. After planning weddings for many years, I’ve done fully vegetarian and vegan weddings and have even tricked wedding guests with a gluten-free cake (no one was the wiser!).
Ferrying Your Guests
Guest transportation can make such a difference in everyone’s mood that I recommend providing it when possible, even if it means trimming another item on your budget. Contact the ride-sharing company of your choice, and you can usually arrange for a group discount at no cost to you. You offer guests the discount code, they plug the code into the app on their devices, and everybody gets a cheaper ride. Often, guests who’ve never used the service before will be eligible for a ride that is completely free—the best price of all! The next level up is to defray a portion or the entirety of your guests’ ride in combination with that group discount. You get to offer your guests a break, while customising your contribution to your budget. Your guests have the flexibility of coming and going as they please, with the option to ditch the car they drove if they’ve had one too many drinks!
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