WedShare Daily - Wedding Planning Tips Advice and Discussion with a Hi-Tech Angle

New Event Manager and RSVP Features

Posted by Jason on Wednesday, November 30, 2011

There are a number of new features in the latest version of the WedShare Event Manager, providing more control over your responses as well as some extra interactivity that your guests will really enjoy.

As always, your Event Manager can handle any number of events that you choose to create: since each can have its own guest list, this works out great for separating your RSVP responses for the rehearsal, bridal shower, and so forth. Only guests invited to an event can view and respond to it on your website’s RSVP page.

Need to see the current headcount for all of your events in once place? The Event Manager launch page shows you a convenient at-a-glance summary for each just by hovering over the event’s thumbnail:

See at-a-glance response details for all of your events in one place

Managing the guest lists for your individual events are easier than ever. The left pane of each event’s edit page shows which guests are invited, which are attending, and so forth. The headcount given reflects all the guests and their accompanying guests as well. Clicking on any guest in the guest list pane brings up their individual RSVP response so you can edit existing responses or quickly add new ones…responses that may have arrived by mail, for example.

Navigate your guest list quickly and easily with the new guest selector interface. Clicking a guest thumb opens their RSVP response and details.

Navigate your guest list quickly and easily with the new guest selector interface. Clicking a guest thumb opens that individual's RSVP response and details.

Also new is the Message Board feature, which lets you and your guests include comments, info, and conversation right on an event’s RSVP page. It functions similar to popular social media sites, and is a great way to centralize information for a particular event. Both the guest list panel and the Message Board can always be disabled by editing the event’s preferences.

The new Event Manager includes a convenient guest list panel and message board

The new Event Manager includes a browsable guest list panel and full-featured message board. Guests can customize their message board profiles for even more interactivity.

With the new guest list panel and message board, your website’s RSVP page is fully interactive and a rich resource for event information. Plus, it’s all completely customizable and configurable to meet your own unique preferences.

Your website's RSVP Page provides a lot of interactivity for your guests

Your website's RSVP Page maximizes guest interactivity

Another new feature is individual meal selection. Meals previously were selected on a plate-count basis (for example, John Smith party of 3 could select 2 salmon plates and 1 vegetarian plate). Now, each individual person can be assigned their plate directly, so you know the specific meal selected for each.

When submitting their RSVP response, guests can assign meal options directly

Guest can also submit or edit the responses of other guests within their group, if you allow it. For couples who like to organize their wedding guest list into groups, this can ease the response process for your guests by allowing one or more of them to take the lead in specifying who all are coming within their group.

You can also let your guests RSVP for their group members

New features abound, beyond those touched on here: the ability to create guest profiles for accompanying guests, new streamlined RSVP and Address Page login, the option to disable accompanying guest name editing, and so much more. It will take some playing with the tools for you to discover all the extra functionality now available. I’d recommend browsing through the Preferences for an event to see all the new options, as well as taking a look at the WedShare demo’s RSVP page to see the message board, guest list pane, and profiles in action.

And if you prefer the plug-and-play approach, the Event Manager will oblige you. Any new event you create by default will be ready to take responses immediately, without guest profile setup or any other steps required on your part. Message board, response handling, guest login, and profiles will all be up and running automatically so you don’t have to waste valuable time configuring your website.

Happy e-Planning!

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WedShare Has A New Look!

Posted by Jason on Monday, November 28, 2011

Happy Holidays, everyone! The end of the year is almost upon us, and while 2012 may or may not bring us the “end of the world”, it’s certainly the end of the line for the old Control Panel interface at WedShare.com. The Control Panel has been completely redesigned as the new WedShare Dashboard, and it’s only the first in a series of incremental upgrades to be rolled out over the coming months as WedShare’s site builder and planning tools get even better.

The new WedShare Dashboard includes sortable icons, a messaging and RSVP alert system, and convenient dropdown navigation

The new WedShare Dashboard includes sortable icons, a messaging and RSVP alert system, and a convenient hoverable dropdown menu for one-click navigation to any feature

Photo comments, video comments, and other guest interactions with your website will now trigger a new message alert in the messaging pane, and a red badge will appear over the message icon showing you the number of new messages you have received. Likewise, the number of new RSVP responses to your events will show up as a red badge over the RSVP icon. You can browse your messages and RSVP responses right on your Dashboard.

See immediately when new RSVPs are sent, and click on the to view right from your Dashboard

See immediately when new RSVPs are received. Click to view right on your Dashboard.

Rather than a list of links, the Dashboard sports an icon-centric view to launch various features and planning tools. Hovering over an icon displays its details and soon will also allow quick edits and configuration in a convenient tooltip dialog. You can also re-order and organize your icons to meet your preferences.

Reorder your icons and hover over them for details and, soon, quick edits and configuration

Reorder your icons and hover over them for details and--soon--quick edits, too

In addition to icon navigation, the top menu bar has been replaced with a convenient multi-level dropdown menu that expands as you hover over it, letting you jump to any feature or tool with a single click.

Hover over the multi-level dropdown menu for easy navigation

There’s more on the way, so enjoy the new look and stay tuned for the latest!

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Halloween Wedding in Orange and Black

Posted by Crystal on Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween 2011 Everyone! Enjoy my orange and black Halloween Wedding inspiration board!

{Photo Credits: Halloween Orange and Black Wedding Cake via BVWeddings, Orange Wedding Shoes by Stephanie Williams via 100 Layer Cake, Candle Holders by Pottery Barn, Orange Pommanders via Lady Spleen, Dried Orange Flowers via Hostess With The Mostess Blog, Halloween Wedding Orange Drinks via Brides, Orange Wedding Bouquet via Francoise Weeks, Halloween Wedding Table Setting via Bride2Be, Orange Candy in Bowl via TheKnot, Orange Candy Bar via Candy Warehouse, Halloween Cany Bar Buffet via Chillipit. }

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Wicked Vera Wang Fall 2012 Bridal Collection

Posted by Crystal on Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Talk about the perfect bridal gowns for a Halloween Wedding! The stunning Vera Wang’s Fall 2012 Bridal Collection was revealed at New York’s Bridal Fashion Week…and it is to die for. The collection is completely non-traditional, with color palettes of jet black, nude and caramel. No white in sight here! The collection was inspired by black and nude undergarments and described by Vera as “both mysterious and sexy, frivolous and fun, with transparent wisps of carefully organized tulle”. These gowns are so wicked, I love them all! Would you consider wearing any of these for your own wedding?

{Photos by John Aquino via Brides.com}

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Put Your Music Request List Online

Posted by Jason on Monday, April 4, 2011

Music! The importance of it to a great event or a memorable party can’t be understated. Music is a key element in setting the mood, something personal and yet universal at the same time; it’s the lifeblood that fuels the dance floor, and–when it comes to your wedding reception playlist–it’s something that just begs to be shared from setup to playout.

You’re the stars of your big day, but your family and friends will be right there with you to celebrate, toast your future, and help make it a memorable night. Good bands and DJs know how to keep within your personal tastes and preferences while still pleasing the guests, a true art that makes the party the most enjoyable for everyone. But a lot still needs to come from you: how flexible are you with your music? How aligned with your guests’ tastes and likes? Do you know there are specific individuals or groups who must have a certain type of music played?

One of the greatest tools at your disposal is your personal wedding website: get everyone’s feedback, suggestions, and even some samples up on your website to be shared and commented on. Let them rate the music they like best, and tally the scores. Make it as interactive as possible, so everyone can contribute and have fun doing so. In the end, you’ve got some invaluable information regarding your family’s and friends’ likes, dislikes, and preferences. Your band or DJ will gratefully accept the information while tailoring your play list, and your wedding music will have a fine-tuned head-start.

WedShare's new Music Request page allows you to share and interact with your guests

WedShare's new Music Request page lets you to share and interact with your guests while building a playlist on your wedding website

WedShare just released a new Music Requests page tailored for this specific purpose, and with the maximum interactivity and sharing in mind. Use your wedding website to post music preferences and see what people think. Let your guests add suggestions on what they’d like to hear, too.

Get immediate feedback on what's most popular with your group

Enable sorting and rating to prioritize songs by the amount of positive feedback they receive, and allow sharing of audio clips and even music videos so everyone can see for themselves how good–or bad!–someone’s suggestion is. Make it fun, with voting and comments and by allowing everyone to add audio or video contributions. And it should be as easy as possible, letting you and others simply drag in media files or select from a pre-suggested list of online music videos.

Music videos are auto-suggested so that you and your guests can include them with a single click.

Your WedShare personal wedding website is integrated with YouTube in the backend, so it’s easy for you and your guests to post a mashup of media for each music selection. When a music suggestion is made, your website does its own search for existing media, including official music videos on YouTube, so that they can be included as well.

Now your website visitors can watch AND listen to your playlist!

Still shots from selected music videos are automatically posted as album art, keeping your list lively. But you can upload your own imagery as well. A new feature in the Music Requests page is the easy drag-and-drop uploader. You and your guests can drag album art and MP3 or MP4 files right to a selection to upload it for that song.

You can drag media to your music request entries on your website and Control Panel

So what are you waiting for? Start building–and sharing–the soundtrack for your big day right now, and have fun with it!

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Filed Under { Music, Wedding Tech, WedShare News, WedShare Tips and Tricks } { Read My Blog } { Post Your Comment }

Unveiled Blooms in Beverly Hills on Monday, March 28th

Posted by Crystal on Thursday, March 24, 2011

Update: Due to the rainy weather, Unveiled has been postponed until Monday, March 28, from 4:00 – 8:00pm.

If you’re planning a Southern California wedding, you don’t want to miss this Sunday’s Monday’s outdoor bridal bazaar Unveiled: Bridal Style Revealed, showcasing LA’s best inspiration for modern brides planning their big day. Unveiled will be taking place in the Beverly Canon Gardens, a gem of a location right between the Montage Beverly Hills and Bouchon.

Darcy Miller, Editorial Director of Martha Stewart Weddings will be on hand to discuss the latest design trends, event planning tips and the current state of weddings according to Martha Stewart Weddings. Also on-site, will be the top bridal bloggers who comprise Unveiled’s Social Media Collective: The Bridal Bar, 100 Layer Cake, The Bride’s Café, The Bride’s Guide, Green Wedding Shoes, and Junebug Weddings. Priscilla of Boston will share with guests their couture bridal collection by Melissa Sweet, Reverie by Melissa Sweet, Platinum, Vineyard and Jewel with informal modeling throughout the day. The cake collection of 7-10 intricately designed wedding cakes will be on display until it’s time to indulge and taste them all, with a glass of Moet & Chandon Imperial.

I attended last year’s debut on Melrose Place, and it was certainly a treat. Lots to see, taste, and be inspired by, so don’t miss it! Tickets are $30 if you register online in advance, or $40 at the event. For more information and to register for tickets, stop by the event website at unveiledevent.com. You can also follow Unveiled onTwitter and their facebook fan page to get the latest scoop.

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New Photo Management Tools and Gallery

Posted by Jason on Friday, February 4, 2011

This week, WedShare released Photo Gallery image management features that are now available for all members. This page is a significant upgrade over its now deprecated predecessor, the Photo Lab. Image management is a breeze with drag-and-drop album and photo handling, as well as the easy-to-navigate AJAX interface.

Manage your albums and photos with drag-and-drop ease

Easily update details by clicking the content you want to edit

Conveniently update details by clicking the content you want to edit

Adding photos to your albums is now as simple as dragging the photos to the target and dropping them in. Rotate, crop, resize, and style with the familiar effects strip, now built right into the photo view.

Crop and add styles to your images

Whereas the older Photo Lab wasn’t a page in itself, just a photo management center, the new Photo Gallery doubles as both. Not only does it let you manage your entire website’s photo collection, but you can activate it as a page on your website to showcase your albums in gallery format as well!

Display your albums on your wedding website in gallery format

Showcase your albums on your wedding website in gallery format

The Photo Gallery’s control panel view lets you see your albums and photos just as they will appear on your website. Click on individual content sections to modify them with the intuitive AJAX interface. Because the photo editing features are built right in, there is no longer any need for a separate Photo Lab.

Manage, organize, and edit styles & effects all in one place

Display, organize, and edit styles & effects all in one place

Along with the recently released Video Gallery and YouTube integration, the Photo Gallery also allows yet another simplification: phasing out the now-extraneous Multimedia Gallery page. Simplification is all about making things easier to use and more efficient, and there are several improvements that the Photo Gallery makes over the older Multimedia Gallery. Along with the modern, convenient drag-and-drop interface, you can now upload in bulk–as many photos as you like at one time–right from your camera or computer into your online albums.

Bulk upload photos from your computer or camera. Crop, rotate, and add captions to your photos before the upload!

Bulk upload photos from your computer or camera. Above is a view of the upload interface in action. Crop, rotate, and add captions to your photos before the upload even begins!

Prep your photos in a single step during the upload process

The Multimedia Gallery only allowed five uploads at a time, you couldn’t share those images with the rest of your pages, and you couldn’t do any photo editing. With the new Photo Gallery accomplishing all this and more, the Multimedia Gallery’s days are certainly numbered, and it will be phased out of the list of available features for all new members soon.

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Filed Under { Wedding Tech, WedShare News, WedShare Tips and Tricks } { Read My Blog } { 1 Comment }

Introducing the New WedShare Video Gallery

Posted by Jason on Friday, December 17, 2010

WedShare.com’s personal wedding website service now includes a brand new Video Gallery feature, allowing you to organize videos into albums and display them on your wedding website. Like the YouTube Widget released earlier, WedShare’s Video Gallery is integrated with YouTube. This lets you add any video from your YouTube account to your WedShare albums with a single click. And in one step, you can upload to YouTube and your website right from your WedShare control panel.

Organize your videos into albums with the easy drag-and-drop interface

The easy drag-and-drop interface makes organizing your videos and albums a breeze. You can drag videos into albums, and drag both videos and albums into your preferred order.

Easily drag your video albums and videos into the order you'd like them presented on your website

The Video Gallery editor will give you a sneak peak at the new WedShare feature editing, soon to be released for all of your pages and tools! Instead of clumsy forms and confusing interfaces like other services stick you with, it’s easy to edit content just by clicking on the text you want to modify.

Editing content is as easy as clicking on the text you want to modify

As you drag albums and videos around, the changes are instantly reflected on your website, making it quick and easy to post new content.

As you organize your content, it is instantly updated on your website

There are quite a bit of options for customizing your video playback, as well as options for your visitors to leave comments.

There are several options for customizing your video playback. Visitors can post comments as well

There are several options for customizing your video playback and comments

Expect to see a lot of coming additions in the options you have for managing and organizing your wedding website content. After all, with so many wedding planning to-do’s on your checklist, the quicker and easier you can manage your website, the better!

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New WedShare-YouTube Integration

Posted by Jason on Thursday, October 28, 2010

A new wedding website widget is available at WedShare.com, smoothly integrating your personal wedding website with the popular YouTube online video service…just in time for those crazy Halloween videos!

It’s always been possible to embed YouTube videos and other third-party features into your wedding website, but in order to do so you had to edit your page content with the WedShare editor’s HTML view, a bit of a chore unless you’re comfortable with HTML. Now, the new YouTube Video Widget lets you upload videos, post them, and even select videos from other YouTube users or your own YouTube account…with just a few easy clicks.

It's easy to manage your YouTube videos, right from WedShare!

Post description captions for your YouTube videos on your wedding website, and enable comment features so guests can post their commentary to share with everyone else. Wedding website comments are kept separate from those on YouTube, so you can keep the wedding related content to your website:

You can allow guests on your website can post and view comments for your YouTube videos

You can allow guests on your website to post and view comments

To post videos on your wedding website, there’s no need to upload videos to YouTube first. Now you can do everything in one step right from your WedShare control panel. Uploading videos to your YouTube account is handled completely by the new YouTube video widget.

Upload to YouTube and post to your wedding website in one easy step

The widget also lets you take full control over how your videos are displayed on your wedding website. You can determine when in the video to start playback, allow autoplay and loop, determine whether to display title and related videos, and more. Just about every feature provided by YouTube can be controlled and managed from your WedShare control panel.

Manage all the options and properties of your videos in one place

And that’s not all: more options are still to come…stay tuned shortly for a complete video album feature.

Have a great weekend everyone, and have a wonderfully spooky Halloween!

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Your Eco- and Budget-Friendly Wedding

Posted by Jason on Monday, September 27, 2010

Here’s a tip on saving cash and helping the environment when it comes to stocking up on your wedding supplies. RecycledBride.com is an online marketplace for all things wedding, where engaged couples and their friends can buy and sell “new or gently used wedding items.” You can find and sell everything from accessories, bridesmaid dresses, to decorations…you name it. And it’s totally free.

Be green while getting the most from your budget with RecycledBride.com

Before plunking down your hard-earned dough on an expensive new item for your wedding, do a search and see if you can get the same thing for a bargain here. You’ll squeeze the most out of your budget, not to mention minimizing your carbon footprint, by purchasing pre-owned. RecycledBride.com has an intuitive search engine and e-mail alerts system help you find what you’re looking for.

And if you have items that you’re considering tossing out after your big day, don’t! Give them a new life in another couple’s wedding. What to do with those twenty or so floating candle containers? The shoes you’ll never wear again, or the dozen boxes of decorative lights taking space in your attic? Turn those into cash for you, let them brighten another couple’s wedding, and keep them out of a landfill. And that goes for bridal party attire, too: with about two and a half million weddings annually in the US alone and an average of four bridesmaids per wedding, that’s almost nine million bridesmaid dresses a year!

Photo Credit: Screenshot from RecycledBride.com

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New Event Manager and RSVP Features

WedShare Has A New Look!

Halloween Wedding in Orange and Black

Wicked Vera Wang Fall 2012 Bridal Collection

Put Your Music Request List Online

Unveiled Blooms in Beverly Hills on Monday, March 28th

New Photo Management Tools and Gallery

Introducing the New WedShare Video Gallery

New WedShare-YouTube Integration

Your Eco- and Budget-Friendly Wedding

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