What began five or so years ago as a tool that only the tech-savviest of couples used has quickly become one of the hallmarks of marrying in the digital age. We’re talking, of course, about wedding hashtags—those cute, clever strings of words that turn your celebration into a clickable event. And as the easiest way to gain instant access to all your guests’ photos in one convenient place, branding your wedding with one makes perfect sense. My husband and I were married right before the hashtag craze, so we didn’t have one. But my crazy-creative friends have since done everything from mashing up their last names, celeb couple-style, to coming up with cute phrases that incorporate one of their last names (a fave of mine: #AllsWellThatsBraswell).
To give you some guidance, we picked the brain of social media pro Samantha Roberts who, as cofounder of
Maid of Social, works with brides and grooms on social media coverage of their day. “By this point, I’ve probably seen thousands of wedding hashtags—including the good, the great and the ones that could have used some help!” she says. Below, Roberts shares her wisdom on what works and what doesn’t.
1. Do put your brains together. Even a spouse-to-be without strong opinions about the centerpieces or escort card display will probably jump at the chance to lend his or her quick wit to crafting a catchy hashtag. “This is one of the few planning activities both partners can have a blast working on together,” Roberts says. Another suggestion: Open up your brainstorming sesh to friends and family who are master wordsmiths if you get stuck. “Grab a bottle of wine—or two—and make it into a fun group activity,” she says.
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2. Don’t use just your first names. Why? Unless you have incredibly unique names, it’s a good bet another couple—or many other couples—are relying on the same three words. Which means if you’re #AshleyAndSamuel, you can count on spending the day after your wedding sifting through the photos of the five other Ashleys and Samuels that recently got married.
3. Do make sure it represents both of you. You don’t have to include both of your names, or any names at all if your tag still makes sense, such as #WeDoWaikiki, for instance. But be wary of making it all about you by using a tag like #BernadettesBigDay. Trust us, you don’t want to be that girl.
4. Don’t include symbols, punctuation or spaces. This may be a no-brainer, but it’s worth repeating. Besides looking unwieldy, special characters aren’t accepted in hashtags on Instagram, Twitter and pretty much every other networking site out there. Numbers tacked on the end, such as #WhitmansWed2016, are fine.
5. Do make sure it’s easy to remember. The goal isn’t to be laugh out loud funny, but a little humor and creativity can go a long way in setting your hashtag apart and, more importantly, getting people to actually use it. Write down your first and last names, any nicknames, your wedding venue or city, and other related details. “Add those ideas to a list of wedding terms, like hitched, loves or tie the knot, and see if something clicks,” Roberts says. Her favorite example of wordplay done right: “I met a bride who was marrying a man with the last name Stone. The hashtag they used was her last name plus #gotstoned. It made me laugh!”
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6. Don’t use one that already exists. This one is simple. “The best way to make sure your hashtag is unique is by searching for it on various sites,” says Roberts, who prefers Facebook and Instagram for wedding sharing. If you get a lot of hits, go with something else. One exception: “If you find out just before your wedding that someone else is using your hashtag, don’t change it,” she says. It’s too late in the game at that point, especially if you’ve been sharing your hashtag with friends and family for months. Besides, “unless the other couple has the same wedding date as you, which is unlikely, you’ll be able to see the photos from your wedding relatively easily,” Roberts says.
7. Do get a head start. “You should be using your hashtag throughout the entire planning process and on your wedding website as soon as possible,” says Roberts, who recommends creating one early enough to include on save-the-date cards. “Then use it on all related posts on Instagram and Facebook,” which might include snaps of your engagement party or the bridal salon where you buy your dress.
8. Do spread the word. The earlier you set your hashtag, the more places you can promote it. Besides including it on your website and save-the dates (but never on your invitations!), Roberts suggests adding it to your day-of décor, within reason. Pick one or two places to display the slogan—any more and people might feel like they’re attending a marketing event, not a wedding. Include it at the bottom of a casual wedding program, on cocktail napkins or on a framed chalkboard sign. “We’ve even seen custom hashtagged temporary tattoos given out at after-parties,” she says.
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9. Don’t forget about your vendors. Go ahead and ask your vendors to use your hashtag too. A lot of them are more than happy to support you while also promoting their own work, Roberts says. Think: a florist photographing the stems that will make up your bouquet or the venue manager snapping your ceremony setup.
10. Do turned hashtagged photos into keepsakes. “The pictures your guests take might not be worthy of a leather-bound professional album, but you know they’ll be so much fun to look through in the future,” says Roberts, who likes Chatbooks for printing and arranging Instagram and Facebook pics into neat little albums. After all, social media trends come and go, but the pictures that are captured using them shouldn’t.
