FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO IF A LOVED ONE CAN’T ATTEND YOUR WEDDING
The world is now flat. In today’s modern world, technology plays a massive part in how people share moments like weddings with their friends and family around the world. The internet brings us all closer, when we can’t be there physically.
Virtual Wedding Guests Ideas – Streaming your wedding to anyone, anywhere, on iPads, Laptops and even cell phones.
Social media outlets like Facebook & Twitter, internet video relay chats like the live streaming Periscope,Facetime, Skype & Google Hangouts, and free web streaming sites like Ustream TV, Justin TV & Live Stream are all making the world a smaller place. Weddings are starting to pop up among these resources to connect people who otherwise could not make it to the newlywed’s special day. (If you don’t know about Periscope, you have to check it out! It’s the newest live-streaming social media platform that is catching on like wildfire!)
Think about it. With today’s technology, people can easily allow real-time streaming of any real life event – FOR FREE. If a loved one can’t be present, people can now just open their event to mobile devices to anyone, anywhere. This is a great idea for couples who want to include more and more people in the wedding and do not have the resources to pay for every guest to be present.
Whether your wedding is at The Crossgates Banquet House in Albany, NY or if you are planning a destination wedding at Humming Bird Hall at Montego Bay, Jamaica, a virtual wedding guest is an awesome option. Virtual wedding guests can save you and your guests money because it cuts down on travel. A virtual wedding makes it so no matter where in the world your guests sit, they can still watch your wedding ceremony unfold live on the World Wide Web.
FIVE TECHNOLOGY IDEAS TO BRING A GUEST CLOSER TO YOUR WEDDING:
There are many different ways to use mobile devices to create virtual wedding guests. Below are a few easy Periscope / Facetime / Skype / Google Hangout ideas, as well as a very detailed DIY recipe link for beginners on how to stream your own Virtual Wedding for free:
The Sheldon iPad-Head idea could be perfect for your virtual wedding guest
1) The iPad-Head Virtual Wedding Guest
If you are a Big Bang Theory fan like I am, you may remember this. There was one episode where Sheldon didn’t want to leave the house, so he slapped an iPad-like tablet on top of a coat rack with a hanging shirt on it and created some kind of relay device on wheels to escort him around, without ever leaving the house. This is a very primitive form of The Bruce Willis film, Surrogates, however, the iPad-Head idea may be all you need to make your wedding stick out.
Apple has created the technology to allow for a very easy way for a virtual wedding guest to attend your wedding from afar. Try setting up iPad-heads on fake bodies and sit them right in chairs at the ceremony or reception. Then, have your guest run Facetime and it will be like they are actually there! They can talk and interect with other guests, as well as the bride & groom.
Here is an idea, in case you want more fun activities at your wedding reception. Set up an area in your reception hall and time set aside just for live interaction with virtual guests, online.
To create your own “Virtual Guest Booth Stream Station,” prop up either web cams, laptops or iPad/tablets so that virtual guests see the action from the virtual wedding guest booth, and also video chat with those who stop by.
SMART TVs – There are also Smart TVs now that makes creating a stream station even easier. Samsung has a TV that has a camera built into top frame, much like a laptop camera. They even have Skype built into the platform and a Skype button on the remote control. The age of the Jetson’s is upon us!
The more decorative and fun the booth display turns out, the more apt people will be to interact with your virtual wedding guest.
3) Video Toast with Virtual Guest – Digital Projection:
As a wedding activity, set up a special virtual toast maybe to take place before the best man’s speech. What you can do is get a PowerPoint / Digital projector and actually broadcast a Skype video call, or Google Hangout to the rest of your live guests. Then, have the virtual guest stream a toast to the whole room.
The Laptop Table of Virtual Wedding Guests via SKYPE
4) The Virtual Wedding Guest Laptop Table:
Whenever we had a big get-together at my grandmother’s house for a holiday, we always had “the kids table;” a place where only the kids sat. Borrowing from this idea and if your virtual wedding guests are game, you can set aside a whole table just for laptop virtual wedding guests. Put each laptop at each table setting and make it so each webcam allows each guest to see each other through a single-face platform, like Skype.
While a program like Google Hangout would work better than this because of its multi-user platform, this allows for walk-ups at the live event to interact with the people on on the laptops. It also makes for a great experience!
Because of technology, you can now stream your wedding live to anyone, anywhere for free!
5) FullWebcam Stream Virtual Wedding :
So you want to just stream your wedding for many guests to enjoy? Great idea! There really is something to be said for “keeping it simple.” Do some surfing and select a streaming video website. Several websites allow you to stream live from free web streaming sites like Ustream TV, Justin TV & Live Stream.
You probably do not want to have the added stress of setting up and checking on the virtual wedding web cam throughout the night. Therefore, it is probably a good idea to ask a close friend or family member to fully accept the responsibility and go through a practice run with them.
Have fun with the creation of your virtual wedding guests! Whatever you choose to do, this idea will increase the chance that more of your loved ones will be present for your special day!
– DJ Kenny Casanova is an Albany, NY Wedding DJ. If you are interested in booking DJ Kenny Casanova, call or TEXT 518-506-3305.
