RSS Feed

Related Articles

Related Categories

Online vs offline - organising your wedding day

29th September 2017 Print

Planning a wedding has always been quite a traditional process, from wedding dress and suit shopping to finding the ultimate venue. But with new technologies and social media apps, is it time for the wedding industry to make a transition into the digital world? 

Over the past year, 87% of consumers had bought a product online, a 21.3% increase that is predicted to reach 30% in 2017.The question remains, what does this mean for wedding suppliers? Here, Angelic Diamonds, retailer of unique round engagement rings and bespoke wedding rings discuss whether it’s time for the industry to plunge into the digital world in order to survive.  

Should the wedding sector be moving online?

Like other businesses, should the wedding industry be moving to digital platforms to remain successful in their field?

We have already seen how the digital market has had an impact on the wedding sector. With social media apps such as Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook, brides and grooms can find inspiration for their big day with just a few clicks. Modern couples are now using new technology when wedding planning. In fact, 42% of people use social media to plan their wedding – with 41% of brides following photographers on social media, 37% of brides following venues and 14% following florists. 

Six out of 10 brides are currently planning their weddings using mobile devices, The Huffington Post discovered ! Most commonly, it is used for researching gowns (61% of brides, up from 27% in 2011) and search for wedding vendors (57% of brides, up from 22% in 2011).

As social media is becoming more actively used in our day-to-day lives, couples are using these types of apps for inspiration, whether this is to find a venue or the perfect flower arrangements. Instagram and Pinterest, which are used by 64% of brides, have now become a couple’s go to platform for all their inspiration, a digital alternative to a wedding fair. Suppliers who have not yet invested time into creating a social media profile for their business could be missing out on free exposure. 

With hashtags becoming more of a trend at social events, 27% of couples who are participants on social media platforms have said that they would create a hashtag for their wedding day.

Staying in the real world

There is potential that the wedding sector will survive without being digitally engaged. Whilst it is likely that companies will need to go digital at some stage to stay up to date with the latest technologies, and keep their head in the game, there might always be a place for them offline within the industry. 

Wedding planning should be an in-the-moment experience; couples need to be able to see venues, outfits and even do a bit of food tasting. Wedding fairs have been around for centuries, and there is a reason for that; whilst modern couples use social media for visual inspiration, wedding fairs are still a great way for suppliers to engage face-to-face with potential customers. For most people, their wedding day is the biggest day of their lives so it’s important that they can speak face-to-face with suppliers, and physically see what they have to offer. 

It’s always nice to see how your big day will come together, so attending a wedding fair is perfect as they are usually hosted at wedding venues that you could potentially book. Nowadays, and in the future, there is no escaping the fact that the industry will embrace digital platforms – and couples will use these platforms as a source of inspiration and to help ease the planning process. However, the industry is not yet ready to wipe out all traditional methods of wedding planning. There’s no question that there is still a demand for the physical processes. Maybe, it’s just time for suppliers and other industry professionals to use digital as a means to extend their business and gain more exposure.