We have all seen the viral video of the bride texting down the aisle (well, at least now you have). Classy stuff! But it’s not all bad… really.

We are using social media and tech gadgets in all facets of our lives from guiding us on the road to planning our busy social calendars. Another way technology is helping make our lives a little bit easier: planning what might be the most important day of your life, your wedding day. We aren’t advocating having your phone in hand while walking down the aisle… but going online just makes the headache of wedding planning and coordinating a little more manageable (you can only work so many miracles!). Did you know 1 in 5 couples now use a mobile app to help plan for the big day? A lot more organized than having a Filofax stuffed with Post-its and vendor cards. Brides going viral even made our top 11 moments of 2011 list!

Let’s take a look at how social media is reinventing the wedding game as we enter 2012:

A whopping 65% of couples create a site to manage RSVPs, stream video and keep guests in the loop. That is just one of the staggering statistics about how modern brides are incorporating social media into their big day.

Including out of town guests

Probably one of the greatest things about technology is the ability to connect with loved ones who are long distance. Sometimes we have friends or relatives who are unable to attend the big day. Programs, such as Skype, are helping change that. Now you can Skype in bridesmaids to the ceremony or live stream the big day for those unable to attend. About 10,000 weddings have been broadcast live from the site — Ustreamtv.com — over the last 12 months.

Facebook Page

How many of us liked the Royal Wedding Facebook page? Guilty! You don’t have to be Kate and William to create a Facebook Page for your wedding day. In fact, it is a lot easier than setting up a website. Odds are most of your guests are already on Facebook and Americans spend nearly 11 hours a month on the site so why not be where your guests are? There are tons of widgets and apps to allow for fun interaction on the page as well. They include a wedding day countdown, a map widget that displays the event venue’s locations, an RSVP widget, and we could go on and on. It can be the hub where you update guests on the planning, such as a cake tasting or posting a teaser picture of the centerpieces. They also make those who are unable attend feel part of the big day.

Going paperless

Nearly 1 in 5 couples go paperless for invitations or save-the-dates. Remember this awesome 90s rap music video invite? Going digital allows guests to easily add it to their online calendars. (I’d be lost without my Google Calendar!) You can add QR codes, which allow your guests to scan by phone and automatically be directed to your wedding page. Or you can also conduct the entire ceremony via your iPad with the sermon or the reading of the vows.

Interactive seating charts

Creating an online seating chart allows guests the opportunity to get to know each other before the big day. You can manage RSVPs, meal choices and hopefully prevent awkward conversations. There are many free sites to browse, such as Wedding Mapper.

Let your guests be the photographer

Your wedding photographer can only cover so much ground during the ceremony and reception. Let your guests get involved and share their own pictures. uSnap.us is a mobile app that your guests can download to view a slideshow of the event. They can submit their own pictures, which are then aggregated into one presentation for all your guests to enjoy.

Social media allows for brides and grooms to add personal touches to their ceremony in a way never thought possible. Embrace the opportunities but also remember to keep the phone tucked away while you enjoy your special moment down the aisle. We don’t want to see you on YouTube! Unless you’re these guys.

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I grew up playing with dozens of Barbie dolls. I would dress them up for a date with Ken or for her new career (President Barbie!). But secretly, wasn’t Princess Barbie your favorite too? I couldn’t have been the only one who acted out my fairytale wedding on my bedroom floor (please say no!). Well now women everywhere have a real life princess to play with: Kate Middleton. The hysteria of the Royal Wedding still hasn’t worn off. If you thought all the memorabilia with Kate and William faces were overkill… just wait. Now they’ve created Kate and Pippa Middleton “action figures.” Dig out your old Ken dolls and relive those little girl dreams of being a princess!

The Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, doll features a handmade recreation of her Alexander McQueen gown for $189.95.

Don’t forget about the sister, Pippa! She’s available in that scandalous (action figure butts are cute too?) bridesmaids dress of hers for $49.95.

Now you just need Prince Charming.

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#ThingsLongerThanKimsMarriage – traditions! It’s hard to avoid discussing the most popular wedding and divorce this Wedding Wednesday, but we wanted to focus on something a little more inspiring than a 72-day sham of a marriage: the roots of weddings. Some wedding traditions have been going on for thousands of years and are rich in history, which is why they are included during modern ceremonies. Here in America we may have our own wedding traditions that many couples choose to embrace, such as the tossing of the bouquet and throwing rice as the newlyweds leave. But there are many unique traditions around the world for different religions and cultures, and all quite fascinating too! Let’s take a little tour…

Mehndi

This past weekend I attended a friend’s wedding, which was a traditional Muslim wedding. My friend’s hands and feet were decorated in elaborate henna patterns called mehndi before her wedding. It can take several hours so brides will host a mehndi party with close guests. During the wedding ceremony she’ll also be covered ornately in jewels. Very glamorous!

Jumping the Broom

Jumping the broom is done as an act of remembrance and to honor the ancestors of the past. It is often compared to the Jewish wedding ritual of crushing a glass for the destruction of the temple. A broom itself represents cleanliness, the hearth, and family, and represents a leap of faith into marriage. The couple concludes their ceremony with a jump over the broom, taking a leap of faith into their marriage and new lives as husband and wife!

Breaking Glass

During a traditional Jewish wedding, after the bride and groom drinks from the second cup, the groom breaks the glass with his right foot. This tradition may hold different meanings, such as a symbol of the breaking of our hearts in remembrance of the Holy Temple or our that joy is must always be tempered. It also concludes the ceremony so all the guests shout “Mazel Tov!”

Red Wedding Dress

In China, red is a strong and lucky color. Brides will wear the traditional qipao or cheongsam, an embroidered, slim-fitting frock that’s usually made of silk. The bride might swap into a white ball gown that wouldn’t look out of place at an American wedding as a nod to the popularity of Western trends.

Baby Bridesmaids

Royal Weddings in the UK invite baby bridesmaids down the aisle rather than friends their own age. Kate Middleton had some of the youngest bridesmaids seen in a royal wedding – they were just 3 years old!

Pulling of the Cake

In Peru, the single female will take part in the pulling of the cake before it gets cut. Charms are attached to cintas de torta (cake ribbons), each woman grabs a ribbon and pulls. The woman who picks the ribbon with the ring is said to be next in line for marriage.

Animal Sacrifice

Traditional Zulu weddings, originating from Zululand in South Africa, has the groom’s family slaughter a cow to welcome the bride. The bride places money inside the stomach of the cow while the wedding guests watch. This symbolizes that she is now part of the family.

Zaffe

The zaffe is a modern wedding Lebanese tradition, where a group of dancers performs in anticipation of the couple’s entry and help make it over-the-top. This can either be a traditional Lebanese zaffe of dabke or belly-dancing, or it can be something with a twist to reflect the couple.

Ransom of the Bride

Don’t be alarmed by the title! Russian grooms have to work for their brides. Before their wedding, the groom will arrive but before he can see her friends and family will refuse him until he pays up.  Grooms must perform silly dances, answer riddles, and perform goofy tests like diapering a baby doll or drinking an awful concoction. Once the groom impresses friends and family with this bridal ransom, or vykup nevesty, he’s allowed to see his bride-to-be.

Tell us: What cool, unique wedding traditions did you follow at your wedding?

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Why do we go to the movies? To be entertained, to laugh, to cry, to fall in love. Nothing captures the sweetness and craziness of a wedding quite like films do. Romantic comedies gives us have hope that the man of our dreams will stand outside our window holding a boombox over his head playing Peter Gabriel. Or convince us that we should chase down our best friend right before his wedding and say “Pick me!”

So this Wedding Wednesday, we’re going to the movies! We’ve rounded up some of our favorite scenes that encapsulate all that weddings can bring: love, laughter and a little crazy. In no particular order…

1. Bridesmaids – One of the funniest movies we’ve seen in years. We wanted to be on stage busting out “Some day somebody is going to make you turn around and say goodbye” with Wilson Phillips.

3. My Best Friend’s Wedding - Who doesn’t want to burst out into song during a rehearsal dinner? We do!

4. The Wedding Singer - After  being stood up at the alter, Adam Sandler goes back to a work as a wedding singer and becomes a train wreck. This movie has an awesome soundtrack. And how cute was Drew Barrymore?

5. Sixteen Candles - We love the tipsy sister walking down the aisle trying to eat her veil. But, we were also quite distracted by Jake Ryan. Swoon!

6. It Takes Two - A Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen classic! And Michelle’s all-time favorite childhood movie. “I’ve never been so humiliated in my life!” (Don’t mind the sübtitles…)

7. Father of the Bride - The entire movie warmed our hearts. Remember when Steve Martin says to himself during the wedding, “I realized at that moment that I was never going to come home again and see Annie at the top of the stairs, that I’d never see her again at our breakfast table in her nightgown and socks. I suddenly realized what was happening: Annie was all grown up and leaving us. Something inside began to hurt.” We need a tissue!

8. Princess Bride – Nothing like a bad accent to lighten the mood at a wedding.

Why do some couples opt for a destination wedding? Less guests, the option of great weather, romantic beach settings… the list goes on. But how to choose ? We think the spa should pick the destination! Every year, 16% of weddings are destination weddings, the #1 most popular being Las Vegas. Spa Week has destination resorts all over the states that not only are offering amazing $50 treatments this week, but also could set the perfect scene to your perfect day. Here’s our list of top destination spots for your wedding day:

Florida

If you want to dig your toes into the sand and have the ultimate beach wedding, you’ll find it in Florida. Resorts with award-winning spas await you to get you ready for your big day. Here are our picks including their $50 treatments going on this week:

The Atlantic Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale.

• 50 Min Aromatherapy Massage with Your Choice of Scents
• 50 Min Facial, Choice of Soothing After Sun Facial or Deep Cleansing Facial
• 50 Min Spray Tanning with Exfoliation

The AAA Five-Diamond Ponte Vedra Inn & Club in Ponte Vedra Beach.

• 50 Min Classic Swedish Massage with Exotic Oil Scalp Treatment
• 50 Min Signature Deep Cleansing Ponte Vedra Facial
• 50 Min Orange Blossom Body Facial

Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills.

• 50 Min Island Oil Escape, with Dry Brushing, White Ginger Lily Oil, Heated Stones and Head, Neck and Shoulder Massage
• 50 Min Aromatouch Treatment with Organic Essential Oils, and Choice of Refresh Massage or Refresh Facial
• 50 Min Essential Manicure and Pedicure with Imported Fiji Body Butter

Aqualina Resort & Spa in Sunny Isles Beach.

• 50 Min Intensive Facial with Triple Cleansing Technique and Acupressure Massage
• 50 Min Swedish Massage
• 50 Min Advanced Hand Treatment, including Signature Manicure with Paraffin

California

The golden state has everything you could want in a destination wedding: world class beaches, miles of wineries, scenic mountains. Here are our picks for resorts with top notch spas who will pamper the bride-to-be like a celebrity and their Spa Week specials going on right now:

Newport Beach Marriott

• 45 Min Bamboo Lime Massage
• 45 Min Exfoliating Facial
• 45 Min Deluxe Paraffin Pedicure

Pelican Hill Hotel in Newport Coast. (Read about Mary Rambin’s obsession)

• 50 Min Amber Gold Massage
• 50 Min Classic Cleansing Facial

The Langham Hotel in Pasadena.

• 60 Min Chuan Journey including a Mini-Chuan Facial, a Chuan Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage and a Chuan Foot Treatment
• 60 Min Moroccan Oil Hair Conditioning Treatment including Shampoo, Scalp Massage and a Hydrating/Restorative Hair Mask by Moroccan Oil

Hyatt Regency Mission Bay in San Diego.

• 45 Min Pure Results Facial including Customized Purification, Exfoliation, Facial Massage, and Rehydration
• 45 Min Organic Massage using Organic Sunflower, Olive and Wheatgerm Oil
• 50 Min Pedicure Ritual using sustainable Bamboo, California Sea Salts and Lavender

JW Marriott Santa Monica Le Merigot in Santa Monica. (Read about Michelle’s stay there)
1740 Ocean Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.395.9700

• 45 Min Calm and Peaceful Massage
• 45 Min Rejuvenation Facial

Washington

For those who prefer a rustic, outdoor style wedding with rolling green hills, Washington has everything you could ask for.

The Heathman Hotel in Kirkland has the Penterra Spa, which is offering these great treatments this week:

• 50 Min Penterra Body Balancing, including Aromatherapy Foot Soak, Penterra Massage and Signature Five Gems Body Balancing Therapy
• 50 Min Penterra Facial with Plant Extracts and Pure Essential Oils
• 50 Min Penterra Pedicure with Paraffin Wax Dip

Las Vegas

For those who want to have a little fun at their wedding – Las Vegas is the ultimate destination. Don’t drive through The Little White Chapel, these hotels know how to treat brides-to-be. Check out their amazing $50 treatments happening this week:

Spa & Salon Vdara

• 50 Min Naturopathica Pure Results Facial
• 50 Min Traditional Swedish Massage
• 60 Min Signature Pedicure Hot Stone Treatment

Grand Spa at MGM Grand

• 50 Min Spa Week Renewing Facial
• 50 Min Spa Week Revitalizing Pedicure

Reliquary Water Sanctuary & Spa at the Hard Rock Hotel

• 50 Min Rhythm & Essence Swedish Massage
• 50 Min Pumpkin Pie Organic Body Wrap
• 50 Min Power of Pumpkin Organic Facial

The Spa at The Mirage

• 50 Min Spa Week Pear & Apple Body Scrub
• 50 Min Spa Week Spa Pedicure

The Spa & Salon at ARIA

• 50 Min Seaweed Wrap
• 50 Min Signature Exotic Manicure