Why Sharing Is Not Always Caring - Invites + Disneyland

Photo Credit: Dipp Photography  (And before you say anything...don't fret. This is a sample.)

I've always been surprised at the countless photos on Instagram or Facebook that have invitations to weddings and parties that haven't happened yet. It makes me cringe. I begin to panic and have terrible images floating in my head of wedding crashers, uninvited family, friends or coworkers appearing at the event expecting a seat and a meal to boot. OR EVEN WORSE... EX's and ILL WISHERS (aka Haters) who want only to ruin one of the most important days in a couple's life. 

This is such a concern to couples. So much so that I was having a conversation about it with a group of vendors the other day and, surprisingly, some didn't think it was such a big deal. This is when I brought up something that I'm going to tell you about and it all has to do with Walt Disney and Disneyland's Opening Day. 

Photo Credit: Loomis Dean / Time & Life Pictures / Getty Pictures

Yup, you would think even back in the 50's, Walt Disney would have crossed his i's and dotted his t's when it came to the opening of his brand new park, Disneyland. Truth be told, no one had ever created a park like this. There were no guidelines, just a guy making one big dream come true (literally). Needless to say, there was a ton of buzz about the opening and 6,000 private invitations were sent out to people of the press, studio workers, sponsors, construction workers and their families.

On July 17, 1955, more than 30,000 guests walked through the gates of Disneyland to encounter more than just a food shortage problem. Counterfeit tickets had been sold and there was even a story about a newspaper reporter printing the invitation to the event on the front page of their paper a few days before the event. Needless to say that the extra influx of uninvited guests amongst other issues that occurred that day made for a disastrous moment in Disney history. As we can now see today, they were able to make it through that day, but not without it's pitfalls. 

Hence, this is why I don't post invitations prior to our client's events. I may post a small sneak peek or process photos, but I try my best not to let the cat out of the bag by posting specific details. By doing so, I am able to keep my social media fresh while also showing you all the hard work that goes into creating these important pieces to your big day.