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Ask the Expert, Groom Tips, Wedding Tips General

The Dos And Don’ts Of Having A Wedding Hashtag

Thanks to smart phones, couples can rely on more than just their photographer to document every detail of their wedding day. In fact, guests can sometimes capture behind-the-scenes moments and perspectives that the bride and groom might miss during their whirlwind day. To make sure they see all of it, many couples are creating wedding hashtags so every pic is easy to find. Before you make your own, check out these dos and don’ts to make sure you create the right hashtag for your big day. DO be creative. While using your married last name is the simplest way to create a hashtag, you don’t want to be too general—especially if you have a common name. You can do something to set it apart (#TheMurphyWeddingDublin), or get more creative by adding a wedding-themed word (#JenandJeffGetHitched) or a funny rhyme (#BenandSueSayIDo). DON’T use all lower case letters. Capitalizing each word is the best way for guests to learn the hashtag and make sure it is used properly. DO make it easy to remember. The whole point of the hashtag is for people will actually use it. If you make it overly complicated, you risk people forgetting it or using the wrong one. DON’T use symbols. Most successful hashtags consist solely of letters–no symbols, numbers or dashes. DO research your hashtag. Before you decide on a hashtag, be sure to check to see if anyone else is using it. If you see several mentions of it on Twitter and Instagram, then you want to come up with an alternative. DON’T overthink it. The hashtag is supposed to be a fun part of the wedding day–and also make your life easier when it comes to tracking wedding day photos—so don’t drive yourself crazy trying to come up with the most creative and unique one. If you’re really stuck, check out Wedding Wire’s Hashtag Creator, which can do all the work for you. DO spread the word. Once you finalize your hashtag, it’s time to let your guests know about it. Be sure to announce it on your wedding website, in the wedding programs, on your Facebook pages–you might even want to have a sign printed to display at the ceremony and reception.

Ask the Expert, Groom Tips, Wedding Tips General

7 Wedding Decisions That Absolutely Require The Groom’s Input

When it comes to wedding planning, the focus is almost always on the bride.  So it’s easy to forget that it’s also the groom’s day. And while we’re sure he’ll defer to you on most decisions, there are times when his opinions should be taken seriously. Here are seven times when it’s a good idea to let your fiancé have his say. His Attire While you might envision your groom waiting for you at the altar in tails and a top hat, if he’s not feeling it, don’t force the issue. You want him to look and feel his best on the big day, so unless he wants to show up in sweatpants or a powder blue tux, let him choose his own attire.  You could always direct him towards Bond Brothers who will be delighted to help find just the right outfit ! The Bar The type of booze being served at the reception is usually more important to the groom than it is to the bride. So if serving a variety of beers from around the world will make him truly happy, go with it–as long as it doesn’t throw you massively over budget. His Family He (or maybe his parents) will know best who to invite and where to seat them at the wedding. There are always issues within families that you might not even realize, so you can handle your side of the guest list and let them tackle their side. The First Dance You might have watched dozens of YouTube videos of couples performing carefully choreographed first dances and thought, “We could do that!” But your groom might feel otherwise. If you try to force him into doing something out of his comfort zone, it will looked forced (and possibly uncomfortable) on the big day. His Groomsmen You don’t need to have an even number of bridesmaids and groomsmen at the altar (trust us), so if your man only wants his three best friends to stand with him on his wedding day, that’s fine—even if you have seven maids standing next to you. The Food If a man knows one thing, it’s how to eat. So definitely have him accompany you to any tastings and take his opinions seriously. The Honeymoon You should definitely choose where you would like to spend your first days as husband and wife together, but once you narrow down on a destination, let your groom take over the planning if he wishes. You will have so much to do with the actual wedding, you don’t need any additional stress.

Ask the Expert, Groom Tips, Wedding Tips General

Wedding Table Planning Made Easy by Bond Brothers

One of the most dreaded wedding-related tasks for every couple is coming up with the seating arrangements for the reception. The bigger your event, the harder it can be to figure out where to seat everyone in a way that will work for the room, and make all of your guests happy. Before you let it drive you crazy, check out these eight ways to seat your guests without breaking a sweat.  1. Start early. This is not something you want to wait until the last minute to do. As soon as your RSVP dates passes, sit down with your fiancé and anyone else that can help and tackle this task head on. Procrastinating will only add more stress to the situation.  2. Divide and conquer. It might be easiest for you to divvy up the guest list–bride’s side and groom’s side–and then you can each figure out where to seat your side of the family and your own set of friends.  3. Ask for help. Don’t hesitate to ask your parents for some guidance. After all, they probably know better than anyone who in the family gets along (and doesn’t), where your older relatives would like to be seated, etc.  4. Use technology. Sites like www.toptableplanner.com allows you to design your wedding floor plan and create an online seating chart that can easily be changed as RSVPs come in and you get closer to your date.  5. Assign tables, not seats. Don’t add to your workload by assigning the actual seating arrangements at every table. Simply assign guests a table number and then allow them to figure out who sits down next to whom.  6. Group guests based on relationships. For example, seat all of your work friends at one table, college pals at another, etc. Aunts and uncles can sit together, while your first cousins can be at another table. This is a quick way to assign seating without overthinking it.  7. Seat younger people closest to the dance floor. It makes sense to seat your younger guests (like friends and cousins) near the dance floor since they will probably be utilizing it more than your much older relatives. On the same note, don’t seat your grandparents, aunts, uncles or anyone in the “older” generation near the entertainment. They will probably spend more time at their tables and won’t want to have to scream over the music in order to speak to one another.  8. Keep frenemies separated. Although it might be a pain, make sure any friends or family members who don’t get along away from one another. Your wedding is not the time to test the waters to see if these people can get along or behave themselves for just one night. Better safe than sorry!