As an engaged Indian couple, living in a country like Chicago, miles away from home, the struggle to plan and organize a traditional culture-rich Indian wedding is real. From educating yourselves about the rituals and ceremonies to finding resources to conduct them, and flying your family and friends in to join you on your big day, there is a lot to do.
However, no matter how hard you try, and how far you go to include your people in your wedding, there are bound to be many who cannot attend in person. Very often life gets in the way of being there for the milestones of the people that mean the most to you, especially when the celebration is in a different country.
Fortunately, today we are blessed with the breakthrough technology called live streaming, through which all of your most important people, no matter where they are, can attend your wedding virtually. It allows you to share the joy of your special day with your loved ones across the world, while they get to see the special day in high-resolution, almost as good as being there in person.
Live streaming can however become a hassle if not properly planned and executed. There are a few best practices to follow to get the most out of the service. With the help of an efficient Indian wedding planner in Chicago, you can make the journey stress-free.
Here are some great tips and best practices to incorporate live streaming on your wedding day.
Choose the right platform
There are hundreds of different platforms online that you can use to stream your wedding, each with its own set of pros and cons. The first step to a smooth virtual streaming is to choose one, depending on your priorities and concerns. Some of the most popular and user-friendly platforms are Zoom and Google Meet; you can also choose from dedicated wedding love streaming service providers available on the internet, some of which provide exceptional video quality and interactive features like virtual guestbooks. You can either choose a simple live-streaming option or go extravagant with HD quality and multiple features for guests to interact with you.
Inform all guests well ahead
If you plan to have a live streaming option for your wedding, ensure to let your guests know well ahead. Communication is key; let your most important people know that they can join you wherever they are. Curate your link early enough and include it in your wedding website, your invites, your save-the-date cards, and your socials too a few days prior, so that everyone gets the information in time to join. A hands-on Indian wedding planner in Chicago can help you with these tasks.
Test run your equipment and ensure reliable connectivity
We know that live streaming inevitably requires reliable, stable, and speedy internet connectivity. Ensure that the venue has proper connectivity; if not, place routers and supporting equipment to generate a stabilized network connection. Additionally, check and ensure proper working conditions for your streaming equipment including your camera, tripod, display equipment, etc. Have your organizing team set up the installation and test it out at least a day before your wedding to stay worry-free.
Have a designated team for live-streaming
While incorporating technology into your wedding is an excellent mode of engagement, it also brings with it a new category of risks – technical issues. To combat this and to be prepared for contingencies, have a designated live-streaming team as a part of your organizing committee. Rope in tech-savvy friends and cousins, or request your Indian wedding planner in Chicago for additional members to take care of the technical aspects. This ensures that unforeseen technical complications are better handled and that the streaming does not get disrupted, while you get to enjoy your big day.
Incorporate interactive features for virtual guests
Enhance the virtual streaming experience for your guests by incorporating interactive elements, such as chat features, virtual guestbooks, etc. Have your guests leave you well wishes and words of love in real-time. You can also consider including live Q&A sessions, and a virtual toast session, both of which will help you connect with virtual guests almost as good as if it were in person. This also makes the guests feel more involved and valued, even if they couldn’t make it to your special day.
Consider multiple camera angles
Many couples place a camera overlooking the venue of the main event and provide a streaming option. While this is perfectly fine, you can further enrich the virtual experience for your guests by incorporating multiple camera angles. This allows them to see the celebrations, rituals, and ceremonies from different perspectives. From the grand entrance of the bride and the groom to the vidaai, viewers get to see you get hitched to your one and only, from different angles, creating a more engaging and immersive viewing experience.
Record the celebrations for post-event viewing
Consider the busy lives and unmissable commitments of your friends and family living far away and opt to offer asynchronous recordings of your wedding so that your virtual guests who missed the live event can view it later at their convenience. In addition to helping virtual guests see the celebrations, it also gives in-person guests a chance to relive the special moments at a later time.
Follow basic etiquette
Live streaming requires some basic etiquette to be followed by you as hosts, as well as by the in-person guests. Inform the guests at your wedding about the live-streaming setup and request them to be mindful to avoid disruptions. Place the setup in such a way that guests or any of the participants involved in the wedding do not have to face their back to the camera or obstruct the view while performing rituals.
As part of your etiquette, include a live or post-event message expressing your thanks and gratitude to the virtual attendees. Appreciate their efforts to be a part of your big day amidst their engagements and despite living far away.
Partnering with an efficient and experienced Indian wedding planner in Chicago will help you stay on top of basic best practices like these.
Wrapping up
Live streaming is undoubtedly a great way to have everyone who means the most to you be a part of one of your biggest milestones in life. It provides a powerful way to share the joyous occasion with your loved ones who are unable to attend the wedding physically. By incorporating efficient tech options and following these tips and best practices, you can create a seamless, engaging, and rich virtual experience for your guests across borders.
Partner with ForUrEvents – your friendly Indian wedding planner in Chicago to incorporate reliable tech options into your wedding. We provide services related to all aspects of an Indian wedding including bridal makeup, catering, photography, videography, music, and invitation card printing.
