Futuristic Tech You Can Use In Your Wedding Today
Weddings are one of the last places you expect to see cutting edge technology. They are the epitome of tradition. But there is no escaping the fact that we live in a world largely influenced by technology, and its influence is already deeply entrenched in weddings. Here are some of the technologies that you will likely see more of in the coming years. I want to mention that I’m not affiliated with any of these companies in any way, but am mentioning them as examples of how their respective technologies are something to keep an eye on as they will become increasingly more popular. I mention several companies in this post as they are excellent examples of tech being adapted for weddings, but I am in no way affiliated with any of them.
3D Printing
3D Printing is the champion of new technologies. This is the one that will likely have a deep impact on our lives in the future like no other. At some point in the next fifteen years we will all have a home based 3D printer and wonder how it was that we once had to wait for things to be shipped to us. At the touch of a button a 3D printer can create a functional object you can pick up and use immediately. The uses are so varied that we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what is possible. Today 3D printers are already used to make toys, prototypes, car parts, replacement joints for surgery, food decorations, and even replacement organs using stem cells. Dita Von Teese famously wore a 3D printed gown this past fall – a revolutionary material that has never been seen before, even if somewhat scandalous.
Even though 3D printing is already used for exotic purposes, it is an amazing manufacturing process for weddings. At a low cost couples can have custom made favors, and table decorations built to their specifications. To see just what it possible, take a look at what a Texas based company called captureddimensions is doing.
They take one composite photo of the bride and groom using a multiple camera array so they can 3D print an extremely lifelike cake topper that looks identical to the couple. In the coming years we will see more and more of this type of technology becoming part of our lives and studios such as this one will pop up in every city.
Live Streaming
We’ve had live streaming for a while now. We’ve had skype since 2003 already, but so far its possibilities have remained largely untapped. Companies like Ustream in the US and ChaiStream in Israel have thought of an innovative way to bring live streaming technology to weddings in a way that mimics reality television.
The idea is that there are often guests from far away places who for one reason or another cannot make it to the wedding even if they want to. What ChaiStream, for example, does is set up a “virtual guest” camera that transmits a high quality live recording over the internet. The equipment used by ChaiStream allows a large number of people to connect at once and essentially acts as live recording. The resulting movie is available immediately after the wedding, while the videographer’s film might take months to arrive.
Crowdsourcing
We’ve been hearing about crowdsourcing for a while now. Corporations are letting users do the grunt work for them for free. Waze, for example uses crowdsourcing to get real time data on road conditions. This saves the company money and allows for a better product for users. There is no reason couples shouldn’t use crowdsourcing in their own weddings.
There are several ways to do this. Two obvious ones are crowdsourcing the photography and the music. Many of the best photos in weddings are often the ones taken by guests who are in the moment. Photographers with bulky equipment are usually in the periphery, looking from the outside in. With technology such as Instagram, the couple can create a specific hashtag for the wedding and task their guests with taking as many photos as possible. The photos will be available immediately without having to wait for watermarked proofs and expensive hard copies.
Similarly, the wedding music can be crowdsourced. A simple setup involving a laptop and sound system with a music streaming website can allow guests to create the wedding’s playlist. Instead of generic hits chosen by a DJ, the couple’s friends can truly customize the music in real time. These are technologies that make expensive services egalitarian and allow for a shift in perspective of how a wedding can remain a traditional event while embracing new ways of thinking.