4 Ways To Use Snapchat at Your Next Wedding

By Todd Brison, Snap Swipe Post

I know, I know. You don’t want another app to learn.

Instagram is working just fine. Learning a new thing takes time, it takes effort, and frankly, you’ve got plenty to do.

But the fact of the matter is, Snapchat is REALLY hot right now. It’s got 100 million users watching billions of hours of video per day. Using it to showcase your events and give the bride and groom something extra delightful for their day (check number 3 below) can take your events to the top.

Stick with me here — These four options will cut the learning curve and get you up to speed right from the first wedding.

1. Tell a great story

One of the common misconceptions around Snapchat is that ALL messages disappear immediately after you send them.

Not true! Ever since Snapchat rolled out their stories feature in late 2013, you can lump videos and pictures together and tell one awesome story:

But why talk about it when a video can do the trick?

Although your stories don’t disappear immediately, they do vanish after 24 hours, so make sure to download the group before they’re gone!

2. Build a selfie station

Move over photo booth, the selfie station is taking over as the go-to memory maker for guests!

You can still use the same props you normally use — mustaches, masks, the works — but with one critical difference: set up a backdrop, not booths or frames.

It may take some experimentation, but the idea is to build something in the background anyone can take a selfie with at any time.

Enabling everyone to take their own photo booth pictures means everyone can come and go as they please, and you free up your photographer to capture other moments throughout the evening!

(Oh, and if you’re looking for inspiration, check out this post.)

3. Make a Custom Geofilter

The custom geofilter has taken Snapchat to a whole new level.

The hashtag has its share of problems — how do you pick one? What if somebody’s used the one you want? Or worse, what if somebody hacks your tag to add racy photos to your otherwise lovely Instagram feed?

Enter the Snapchat geofilter — you can only use it if you are AT the event in question, and it adds a little extra flair to your social presence. Those cool little tags showing up at the bottom of Will and Rachel’s wedding video up there? Geofilters. Everyone at the party was adding them to their pictures and videos.

Think of a geofilter like a virtual passport stamp — it’s THE way to say “I was here!” on Snapchat.

Unlike a hashtag, it’s completely customizable, and you don’t have a risk of being hacked.

If you have a designer friend, they’ll be able to whip one up no problem. Send them to Snapchat’s geofilter portal right here.

If you DON’T have a designer friend, get in touch with us at Snap Swipe Post, where we handle creation, the Snapchat approval process, and scheduling.

4. Record and send personal messages to the bride and groom

Snapchat is probably the most intimate social media platform there is (and not just for the reasons you’ve heard! 😉

Have the guests send a recorded video message to the bride and groom’s Snapchat account. Now, here’s the trick — personal messages DO disappear whenever the bride and groom look at them.

My solution? Build a new Snapchat account (like “toBradAndCindy”) and have everyone send messages to that account.

Once the dust has settled, pass over the log in and password name to the bride and groom, where they’ll get access to all the messages everyone was sending them all night.

Well, that should be enough to get you started!

Todd Brison is the founder of Snap Swipe Post – a custom Snapchat geofilter service. He loves his redhead, Chacos, and sweet potatoes. You can get in touch with him at todd@snapswipepost.com.