How to Use a Wedding Hashtag

Wedding hashtags are such a great way to collect all your wedding photos in one place. They save multiple email trails and WhatsApp group messaging containing reams of photos for you to sort through post-wedding but never actually get around to it. They are also a lively and fun way for everyone to be able to reminisce after your big day, and you'll be able to see lots of fun photos and magical moments from your guests' perspective.

Don’t just save this brilliant tip for the big day though; why not start early and create a wedding hashtag in time for your engagement party? That way, you can start collecting ALL your photos in one place, meaning you'll have your very own online catalogue of happy snaps that everyone can enjoy looking back through at any time. If you're not quite decided or unsure where to start, keep reading for everything you need to know about wedding hashtags…

Are hashtags for me if we want an unplugged ceremony?

You can still enjoy creating and benefiting from a wedding hashtag, even if you want an unplugged wedding ceremony. You just need to be clear with your communication. Let your guests know that you don't want any photos of the ceremony taken by anyone other than your photographer. Then, at cocktail hour, for example, you can make it clear that photos are now welcome with a complementary sign displaying your unique hashtag.

If you're choosing to have an unplugged ceremony, state clearly on your wedding website and invitation that that's what you've decided, and (hopefully) your guests will respect your wishes. But we probably wouldn't recommend having your wedding hashtag anywhere until you're prepared and happy for photos to be taken and shared publically…just in case!

How to create a wedding hashtag

Get your creative juices flowing when thinking about your own wedding hashtag. Write down lots of options, and you may be surprised with what you come up with. Once you start brainstorming, more ideas will flow, and you'll have your own awesome wedding hashtag in no time! Whatever you choose, remember to keep it simple. You want guests to be able to remember your hashtag, so it shouldn't be too long or overly complicated.

Once you feel like you've got a few that you like, check out what's out there on social media already. This may determine which one you go with. If you've found a few similar ones, add your date or venue in there to make it more of a unique wedding hashtag. But remember to choose just one hashtag to avoid confusion; going with one will mean all your photos will be in one place, which is exactly what you want.

Enlist some help from the professionals

If you're struggling for ideas, then use wedding guests to help you create a hashtag. You've got to have a family friend or relative who is good with words and can help you create something fun and unique. Or, turn online for some help; there are wedding hashtag generators out there that can help you come up with an original one. If you're still struggling for inspiration, you could always hire a professional wedding hashtag writer. Yep, that's right, all you need to do is send them both of your names and wedding details, and they'll send you a range of the funniest, punchiest, cutest, and most romantic custom wedding hashtags to choose from.

Some wedding hashtag examples

Some of the best wedding hashtags are the most simple, so try not to overthink them. Can you incorporate your names? Your chosen wedding date? Think about using alliteration, a play on words, or a rhyme to create a more memorable hashtag. Let's use Kate and Will as an example, so some wedding hashtag ideas for them could be:

• KateAndWillWed
• WillAndKateWedding
• KateForWill
• WillsCupOfKate
• WillAndKateWeddingBells

As a side note, hashtags are not case-sensitive, but adding capital letters does make them easier to read.

How to communicate a wedding hashtag

Get your wedding hashtag out there nice and early; the sooner, the better. Guests can start sharing photos as soon as your engagement party, bridal shower, stag do, or in the run-up to the big day. Pop your wedding hashtag on your wedding website and invitations in an obvious place to make guests aware of it. However, on the wedding day itself, as you can’t expect your guests to remember it, we'd recommend having it printed on your ceremony program and dotting it around your wedding venue. Make it part of the wedding decor by including it on the tables, near the cake, and near the photo booth, for example.

Sit back and enjoy your very own online photo album

Any married couple knows that waiting for professional photos to come through requires a lot of patience. But the great thing about a wedding hashtag is that you can enjoy looking at everyone’s selfies and pictures from your wedding while you wait patiently for your album. Not only will the hash-tagged snapshots tide you over, but they will also offer a different perspective from your professional photos, giving you the chance to see your special day through the eyes of the guests, capturing moments that you might have missed on the day itself. As a bonus, if you make sure your vendors know the hashtag, you may get to see some additional sneak peeks before your album arrives, such as a close-up of your bouquet or a detail shot of the cake.

As with everything in the wedding planning process, deciding to have a wedding hashtag is completely your choice. If you don't think it's for you, that's okay. In fact, you can relax in the knowledge that whether you choose one or not, it will make no difference to the actual day itself. However, hopefully, having read the above, you can see the benefits of having one. Even if one gets created organically during the wedding day itself, you can reap the benefits and enjoy everyone's photos long after the wedding is over.