These days, the saying goes: If it didn’t happen on social media, it didn’t happen.
New data from wedding planning powerhouse The Knot shows that most modern brides would agree.
Results from The Knot Social Media Survey 2016, reveals how brides-to-be are using social media throughout the various stages of wedding planning and some of the latest trends show that from the planning stages to their big moment at the altar, it’s all about social media for brides and grooms.
For starters, social media is where couples are pulling all of their ideas from: “It’s fascinating to learn that nearly eight out of ten couples report implementing an idea they found on social media that they had not previously considered on their own,” explained editor-in-chief of The Knot, Kellie Gould, in the press release.
New brides-to-be can’t wait to share their engagement news online.
Eighty-six percent of brides surveyed share photos of their new bling within the first week of saying “yes.” However, three out of five (60%) brides have to share their good news within the first 24 hours.
Even brides who weren’t very social before getting engaged find themselves addicted to Instagram and Facebook once they begin planning their dream wedding. According to the survey, 62% of brides report an increase in their social media usage after their engagement, with seven out of ten admitting to using social media platforms like Pinterest (89%), Instagram (38%) and Facebook (38%) for wedding planning.
Couples are finding and hiring wedding vendors on social media too, most often based on what they see on their timelines and recommendations from their social peers. Nearly 78% of couples have implemented an idea at their wedding that they found on social media but hadn’t seen anywhere else.
Want more from ESSENCE.com? Subscribe to our daily newsletter and get the latest celebrrity, beauty, relationship and fashion news.
And, have you seen the surge in wedding hashtags? There will be more to come.
According to The Knot, the use of a wedding hashtag is up 11% from 2014. Sixty-six percent of couples use a personalized hashtag with four out of five couples creating the fun hashtag themselves, having a close friend or relative suggest one (80%), or use an automated hashtag generator (10%).
Three out of four couples want to be disconnected from social media on their special day, and using a personalized hashtag allows brides and grooms to take a break from social media and enjoy the magic of the day.
And, once the wedding ends, don’t think newlyweds will give social media a rest. Within the first 24 hours of getting hitched, 70% of couples admit to sharing their nuptials on social media, and once they’re on their honeymoon, 70% post throughout their getaway.
Happy sharing!