social

Bridging the Gap

Connecting With Generation Z in a Language They Understand

Today, young individuals wake up and immediately scroll through their favorite apps as if they are reading the morning paper.

Social apps are the present-day newspaper to a generation that has grown up immersed in technology. It is how the most important decisions are made: where to go, what to eat,  what to watch…inevitably who they want to hire for their wedding! We have to keep up with change, and become more creative and original with our digital and social media marketing.

Ok we have pinpointed where to Cater Towards Gen Z, but how can we take this knowledge to the next level and how to use these  digital platforms to our advantage?

Here are some tips on how to connect to your growing younger audience.

Instagram is an ever-growing and thriving platform, that will only keep evolving and attracting new users. Unlike Facebook, who’s more often used by older generations, Instagram is heavily dominated by the youth. The Instagram story feature, launched in 2016 and heavily influenced by Snapchat, has become widely popular and frequents the most views. Users can edit pictures and videos and even provide links within the story, to engaged with your followers. To capture and create more engaging Instagram Stories, by upping your Instagram aesthetic and using these 14 Apps For Creating Gorgeous Instagram Stories. In return, this will bring more traffic and clickthroughs to your website. Post on your profile and increase your reach.

What kinds of things are worthy of posting and recording?

Gen Z loves a behind the scenes sneak peek, time lapse videos, before and after, and anything that encourages interaction.  There’s something satisfying about watching a professional do what they do best. This can be done with anything. Wedding décor, wedding day set up, all of the works. Imagine how fun it would be to get to watch a sped-up video of a wedding coming to life!? It’s content like this that catches the most eyes and gets shared more often.

 

A recent survey shows that “59 percent of Gen Z respondents said they use their YouTube app a lot more than they did a year prior.” In return, YouTube is still growing and attractive new users everyday. Video is the new article.  Like Instagram, think of parts of your work that would be enjoyable to watch. Make it personal, record all of the big moments in the planning process.

Pro-tip: Another memorabilia your clients can look back on.

You can share these videos so future clients can see how you can help make their dreams a reality too. Visually and emotionally charged content tends to have the most impact. Weddings are not just the end product! There’s so much that happens in between the proposal and the “I do.” That’s where you come in!

What is a “TikTok“? Some say it is the new Vine of the internet…But what was a Vine?! Young audiences want to be wowed and entertained with visual stimulus, and nothing better comes to mind than short, entertaining videos.  The short video format that Vine was, and TikTok now has is perfect to grab a Gen Z viewer’s attention. With 500 million active users worldwide, this app ranks ninth among social-networking sites, ahead of LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and Snapchat. TikToks are becoming the most shared across platforms. If it starts on TikTok, it will makes its way to Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

You have a variety of talents and gifts that you can share as content. Teach and show your audience something that you excel in. Get creative. Content like this increases likability and recognition. You’re putting your work out there and slowly creating a reputation that people will remember when they’re look for a wedding pro.

Get started on filming your Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok videos. You don’t have to be a pro at filming to improve your digital presence. You already have what it takes and what makes you stand out. All you have to do is share it with the world!

Falling in Love with Kaley & Pete

One of our favorite parts of being in the wedding planning industry is learning about our bride and groom’s story on how they met, where they fell in love, and their dreams for the future. We love them so much that we want to start sharing these magical stories with you!

Kaley & Pete’s upcoming fall wedding at Magnolia Plantation is sure to be picturesque, romantic, and memorable. We cannot be more excited to be apart of making their visions of tying the knot a reality. We chatted with Kaley and got some insight on how their love story unfolded, why they chose Charleston, and so much more!

Pete pops the big question.

How did you two meet?

We met a few years ago when Pete was living with a mutual friend. We were both dating other people at the time but were always friends and one day, the timing finally worked out and we had our first date on Halloween night of 2015. After that first night, we were inseparable.

How did Pete pop the question?

Our engagement was an elaborate scavenger hunt around downtown Orlando, at places that were significant to our relationship, like the place where he asked me to be his girlfriend. My sister and best friends were stationed at each location to give me my next clues. My final clue led me to a garden where we often took our dog Scout for walks. Pete (and Scout) were waiting for me inside the gardens and the rest is history. Right after I said “yes!” He led me around the corner to another surprise of all of our family and friends waiting with champagne to celebrate. We all went back to our place and had a giant pool party to keep the fun going.

What made you decide on getting married in Charleston?

As soon as we got engaged we decided we wanted some kind of destination wedding. We had both been to Charleston numerous times and absolutely loved it. It was an easy pick for us! Beautiful scenery, awesome restaurants and fun bars. What more could we need?!

How did you narrow your focus on venue spaces?

Once we decided on Charleston, we knew we wanted to get married somewhere with beautiful outdoor spaces. We started doing some research and found Magnolia Plantation. As soon as we saw it, we knew it was the one. Pete’s younger brother Chris was actually a wedding planner in Charleston a few years ago. He still had contact with a some of the other planners there and put us in touch with Chelsye, who is one of his good friends. We had a quick phone call and felt good about it but then completely fell in love with her when we met her in person for the first time at Magnolia. Chelsye has been such a godsend since day one of the planning process. She is so easy going, enthusiastic and makes the planning process easy and fun. We adore her.

What are your dreams for your big day?

Pete and I actually agree on the most important aspect of our wedding- Fun! We want a beautiful night of dancing, eating and celebrating our love with our closest family and friends. Honestly though we have agreed on almost everything thus far with the planning- Either that or he just lets me run the show and goes along with it 😉

Where do you see yourselves after tying the knot?

After the wedding we will still be living in Orlando, hopefully in a house that we will be shopping for in the next few months. We will be honeymooning in summer 2019, either in Thailand or Switzerland most likely. TBD!

Kaley + Pete.

A Romantic Night Out for Two

Whether its a first date or an on-going ritual, all perfect date nights in Charleston must be romantic. In a city so saccharine, there’s no excuse for a night that leaves a bland taste in your mouth. So, let’s meet at a quintessential Italian eatery WAY North of Broad.

 Trattoria Lucca on Bogard Street features a vibrant array of authentic Italian cheeses, meats, wines and the freshest low country harvest. Let the owner and executive chef, Ken Vedrinski, do the cooking and tempt your taste buds with homemade pasta and riso like Tagliolini which features blue crab, anchovy, lemon & breadcrumbs.

If you’re not rolling out of Trattoria Lucca, hop on a pedicab to the bustling nightlife on Upper King and sneak into The Belmont for a night cap at a vintage themed bar. Their craft cocktails, such as their signature espresso martini, won’t disappoint and calls for a great end to the evening.

Local Tip!

 Trattoria Lucca is old school, so remember to call in order to make a reservation. Their menu changes daily, so every experience is unlike another. Buon appetito!

A few of our other favorites for an intimate date night: