Brides can’t switch off as 84% use social media on their wedding day
Feel like you're permanent attached to your phone during the wedding planning process? Or can't quite stop yourself spending 'just another hour' online, literally pinning down what your perfect wedding looks like? Well, you're not alone. It appears that whilst brides planning their wedding day in the 21st century are fortunate to have endless resources online, a recent survey by OnBuy shows it is actually having negative effects, with brides struggling to switch off from social media on their wedding day. From countless Instagram accounts dedicated to wedding inspiration and Pinterest being a wedding rabbit hole you can find yourself stuck in for a good few hours, it’s near impossible not to be reminded of your wedding planning every day.
With 90% of 2017’s brides being millennials, the use of social media is well and truly ingrained in our day to day lives. From emails, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook all on tap, never mind all those online groups you’ve joined in the lead up to the wedding ping pinging away in your pocket, it’s fair to say wedding planning has become a non-stop presence in our every day.
With 78% of brides now announcing their engagement on social media within 24 hours and a further 11% sharing it digitally within a week, it’s highly likely most brides will be letting their online following know of their upcoming nuptials. But by sharing your engagement online, you are instantly inviting your social media friends to be part of your journey. For some of you, you might love the idea of sharing this exciting time with everyone, but for others this could just be asking for wedding fuelled anxiety.
Pinterest also appears to be a key player in this wedding day worry, with 900 million wedding inspired pins being saved every year. Whilst being a wonderful place to head when planning your wedding day, it’s easy to get bogged down with the pressure of pulling off a Pinterest perfect wedding day. With research proving that 67% of women already have wedding boards before they’re even engaged, it’s likely brides will have an idea in mind of what they’re after for their wedding day. But it’s important to step back a moment and take into account whether these pins are styled shoots, created for aesthetics and not for purpose or how much of the image is down to beautiful photography and editing. Pinterest serves as an ideal (and beautiful) starting point but don’t be afraid to pop your own twist on things.
When it comes to the day itself, many couples are actively embracing social media, with 64% of couples choosing their own wedding hashtag for their guests to use. With their phone always close at hand and an integral part of day to day life, research shows that a whopping 84% of couples go on social media on the day of their actual wedding.
Finally, whilst social media opens up far more avenues to ultimately help you plan the wedding you always hoped for, it’s really important to avoid the ugly side of social media – comparison. With 42% of brides stating that looking at others wedding posts makes them feel anxious for their big day, it’s hard to not think about how yours compare to theirs. But when it comes down to it, your wedding day is a celebration of you and your own unique personal style. So instead of comparing, we should all be revelling in what it is that makes our wedding day different from the rest and specific to you.
So what do we think at WeddingPlanner HQ about social media being an integral part of the wedding day? We reckon that when it comes down to it, it’s entirely up to the individual. If you can’t get enough of social media and are a big advocate for it, go ahead and embrace all its wonders into your special day. But if instead being switched on leaves you anxious and unable to switch off, think about how you can limit your usage of social media in the lead up to the wedding and consider opting for an unplugged ceremony on the day.