Published in the July 30, 2013 issue of The Edmonton Sun.
Linda’s social media column can be found every Tuesday in the Edmonton Sun.
#yegweddinghour a prenuptial planning asset
Wedding season is well underway and if you’re a bride, a groom, or a business that deals in the wedding industry, there’s a hashtag on Twitter you need to know about.
#yegweddinghour takes place on Twitter every Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m.
During the hour, brides and grooms are encouraged to pose questions, seek out vendors and suppliers, and find inspiration.
On the other end, vendors and suppliers can talk about their services and reach out to potential clients.
#yegweddinghour was started by Funmi Omotade-Tan, a local photographer who moved to Edmonton from the United Kingdom late last year with husband and photography partner-in-crime Adrian.
The Edmonton version is based off the UK’s #weddinghour, which is extremely popular — garnering hundreds of tweets each week in a one-hour period.
“The main premise was to get the vendors talking about all the stuff they’ve been doing and to get brides and grooms to get to know the vendors,” Omotade-Tan says.
Beginning in late May, #yegweddinghour has been slow to catch on but Omotade-Tan says more businesses are starting to get on board, from established local venues like @thematrixhotel, @RamadaKingsway, @VarsconaHotel and @Northlands, to new small businesses like @GlossieLove and @NewleySound.
“It is growing,” Omotade-Tan says. “More people are talking about it.”
These businesses currently getting involved see the value of putting themselves in an online space dedicated to a conversation about the local wedding industry.
“#yegweddinghour could be a huge asset for Edmonton’s wedding industry because it promotes collaboration in lieu of competition,” says Devin Komarniski of Newley Sound, a new, local wedding DJ company.
“This will lead to more creativity, innovation and better services for consumers.”
#yegweddinghour is also a great hashtag to share happy wedding experiences.
I shared my Twitter thanks not too long ago to @BridalDebut, for helping out with my bridesmaids’ dresses after the original shop we had ordered with unexpectedly shut down.
I wish #yegweddinghour had been around when I first got engaged. It would have been a terribly useful resource in the early stages of planning.
Still as my own wedding draws nearer (just two more months to go), I see a number of different ways I’ll be using #yegweddinghour for tips and last-minute services. It’s just a matter of remembering to put out those messages during that specific hour on a Wednesday instead of at any other time.
While there’s only a few people and businesses using the hashtag right now, I believe #yegweddinghour has great potential and if the UK version it’s based off is in any indication, it’s going to become a popular and very useful resource in the Edmonton wedding scene.
Omotade-Tan says #yegweddinghour will take place every Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. year-round. “As long as possible,” she says.
