Technology these days.
They think of everything!
On our last blog post we discussed how best to manage your wedding party on the wedding day and with all of your pre-wedding events such as dress shopping, bachelor parties, and bridal showers. But how do you go about making sure all of your groomsmen show up where and when, with what they’re supposed to be bringing?! How do you ensure your bridesmaids remember to be early on the wedding day for hair and makeup? Today, we’re talking about the technology behind the planning, to eliminate stress and streamline your friends and family and even your guests, so those last-minute stressors don’t affect you. With a little research and preparation, you can easily coordinate your wedding party, family and/or guests quickly and efficiently for all the fun! Here’s how:
Wedtexts
I recently learned about a text message-based platform called “Wedtexts” which provides a texting service that can be scheduled weeks or even months in advance. It is a FREE(!!!) service with options for upgrading dependent on your guest list. This service provides 2 user accounts with up to 15 contacts (the upgraded versions provide larger group messaging), templates to minimize your time spent, unlimited real-time messaging as well as unlimited pre-scheduled reminders. This creates an amazing, seamless option for those tricky things you forget to remind your wedding party – like the address for the ceremony location that you included on the formal invitation that they haven’t glanced at in over 8 months or remind your guests — like the shuttle bus will pick up at 3pm at the hotel to take them to the venue. 😊 Events by Lexi already has an account with Wedtexts, which can be utilized by my couples!
Group texts
Of course, if you don’t need text messages scheduled in advance, there is always the option of group messaging. I hesitate to advocate for this too much, only because some of your wedding party may have Android devices, where others have iPhones. This can create some less than desirable side effects, such as texts going through twice – or not at all. As a planner, I would ensure all wedding party cellular devices are one or the other make, before endorsing this option.
Whatsapp, Facebook messenger
In the event your wedding party does NOT have the same devices, a quick alternative can be Facebook messenger or the Whatsapp app. These options provide assistance as well for those bridesmaids or groomsmen who may not be local, or even in the United States. This provides the same capabilities as group messaging or texting, without the fees of long-distance texting and calls. Facebook messenger can also be more appropriate for those who tend to text long and/or multiple texts, as it is more of an in between to email and texting.
Facebook group
In addition to texting, you may want to include an option for your wedding party (and potentially guests) to include pictures, links, and events more easily. A private Facebook group may be just the thing you need to communicate and coordinate the pre-wedding events but also allow for the messaging and communication outlet you need.
Doodle
Doodle is definitely a cool tool, providing each person a scheduler to fill in which days and times work best for them. This is a great option again if you have out of town friends or family in your wedding party.
Overall, there are multiple options available to help you create the perfect communication method for you and your dream team. Feel free to mix and match these options to find the best solution for you; however, be careful to ensure that the communication stays consistent in each option, so you don’t have some groomsmen showing up three hours early, while others just got the message that they needed to be at the wedding rehearsal. In simpler terms, don’t make the message confusing! The idea behind this whole communication thing is to create less stress for you and your future spouse, so you can spend more time worrying about how soon you’ll be an officially married couple!
For more tips and tricks like this, or for all your planning needs – reach out to me at 410-978-2048.
