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Stocksy
For some couples, coming up with a hashtag is one of the more fun parts of the wedding planning process. For other, less creative types, it can seem like more of a hassle than a true bonding experience. If you and your spouse-to-be fall into the latter category, relax—your struggle is over. Editor Marielle Wakim is using her creative chops to fill the void in wedding hashtag services around the U.S.
Wakim realized the potential for her self-made business when all of her friends began relying on her to come up with witty wedding names. "They were hoping I could come up with something more clever than #HillWedding2015," she told Glamour. And because of the lack of professional services in this particular market, the editor decided to capitalize on it and start her own business, Happily Ever #Hashtagged.
The best part? Her prices are super reasonable, even for a cash-strapped couple on a budget. Wakim charges $40 for a hashtag, $85 for three, and $115 for five (which covers the bachelor and bachelorette parties, as well as the wedding). But this clever play on words doesn't have to stay on Instagram or Twitter. Many of Wakim's clients take their hashtag and imprint it on more tangible relics to use on, and after, their wedding day, such as napkins, signs, and even an old-school bus.
And as you've probably found, creating a wedding hashtag isn't an easy task. "Most often, people want something punny and clever, so that's where I start," Wakim told Glamour. "I always look for a play on words with their names and kind of build out from there. But I would say it's most important to pick something as unique as possible so that your photos aren't intermingled with 19,628 others on Instagram because the hashtag was too generic."
Though all of her personalized hashtags are a work of art, Wakim considers these to be her greatest: #MollyPicksUpTheTempo for a wedding between Molly Goldbach and Chad Tempo; #ChoudreamTeam for Lexi Baltazar and Suleymaan Choudhry; and #CharMagweddon for Maggie Gottlieb and Charlie Madsen.
If you're still on the fence about incorporating a wedding hashtag into your big day, consider how nice it'll be to gather all of your guests' snapshots from your wedding day in one place. Plus, you'll get to experience your nuptials through the eyes of your closest family and friends. It doesn't get much more special than that.