Snap(chat) to It!

Hashtags are so 2016. Snapchat filters are the new must-have wedding accessory.

“Like a wedding website or #couplehashtag, social media has added a new dimension to the wedding experience,” says Liana Teresa, a designer and creative strategist who creates Snapchat filters through her namesake company. “A custom Snapchat filter allows guests to have a little more fun sharing photos and videos of the big day.”

Here’s how it works: Couples talk with a designer about their wedding theme and vision for their geofilter. The designer then creates a filter to fit the couple’s fancy, typically using hand-lettering and custom imagery. Guests can use the custom overlays when sharing photos and videos on Snapchat.

Filtered Vows, another local custom filter company, has created filters for weddings ranging in theme from rustic to super-hero to Harry Potter. CEO of Filtered Vows Cody McClendon points to millennials’ love of social media—specifically Snapchat—for the huge growth in these graphics. “When it comes to technology in the wedding industry, there hasn’t been much innovation,” McClendon says. Until now. Their filters bring a modern touch to the venerated wedding tradition.

“Wedding filters have taken off like wildfire in the past year,” Teresa says. “Millennial brides know that a custom Snapchat filter is as expected at their wedding as the cake these days. It’s such a simple touch that adds so much fun and engagement for their guests.” Liana Teresa, lianateresa.com Filtered Vows, filteredvows.com