It's no secret that Australia's wedding industry rakes in billions of dollars a year, and now a new trend is adding to that price tag - but brides say the additional cost is well worth it.
Social media content is the new "in" thing for brides on their special day, with couples forking out thousands for Instagram posts, stories, reels and "behind the scenes content" of their wedding day.
The trend started in the US and made its way to the UK before Andrea Semrany started the first dedicated wedding content company in Australia, called Onthedaysocials.
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Semrany was a Sydney high-school teacher of five years when she started Onthedaysocials in December 2022, filming and editing content on weekends while still working full-time.
A year later, she was able to quit her job and commit full-time to social media wedding content, growing from a one-woman show to a team of four.
"The wedding season is crazy, there was one weekend in October where we had eight weddings over one weekend," Semrany said.
"Consistently, we do two, three events each weekend."
Semrany receives up to 20 enquiries from couples daily, each one looking for social media content on their special day.
What's the appeal of social media wedding content?
Bride-to-be Kailey Kirk used Onthedaysocials services for her bridal shower in 2023.
Kirk says the service allowed her guests to remain in the moment, without having to be on their phones on the day.
"What (guests) do these days is everyone is on their phone recording videos (for social media), so it's good to have just one person filming and they can Airdrop it to everyone," she said.
"She captured all the behind-the-scenes moments, setting up, all that kind of fun stuff.
"And within 24 hours, you have the photos."
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Kirk says she will be using the service again at her March wedding and is most excited to watch the content of herself walking down the aisle on her wedding day.
"I 100 per cent recommend it for upcoming bridal events," she said.
Semrany says the idea is less about appealing to social media followers and more so capturing the moments that are perhaps lost in traditional wedding videography.
"The wedding industry is quite a saturated market - there are so many services, it can be overwhelming," she said.
"Ultimately, it's not about posting it on social media, it's about the couple being able to look back on those moments.
"You get those first looks with dad, grandparents, the first kiss, in a raw and authentic way, you can hear the audio, which gets lost with the traditional photography or video."
How does it work and is it worth it?
The standard six-hour pack will set couples back $1200.
It includes over 500 pieces of raw content and two short-form video edits for Instagram Reels or TikTok.
The couple receives the raw content within 24 hours of the event through a sharable Dropbox folder.
The largest package Semrany has collated to date was a 13-hour service, costing roughly $2500, including over 1500 pieces of raw content and several video edits.
"The sky is really the limit, I'll do whatever I'm asked," Semrany told 9news.com.au.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/C1TwrNiyL3-/The service is shot completely on an iPhone with the help of a gimble, a stabilising device.
It is predominately used by couples as an additional service, in combination with a traditional photographer and videographer, Semrany said.
"There's only about 5 per cent of weddings we do where it's just us (with no photographer/videographer)," she said.
"It is more of a luxurious service, but in saying that we cater to what the client needs.
"It can be for those who don't have a videographer, just having a content creator is cheaper."
Traditional wedding photography will set couples back $3164 on average, according to Canstar.
Usual wedding videography will cost couples between $1000-$1999 at a minimum, with the top end of the market charging up to $5000, according to online wedding marketplace Wedlockers.
A very modern side-hustle
Traditional photography and videography equipment can set a new business back by $1500 for a professional camera alone.
Tripods, light stands, video editing software and lenses can cost anywhere between $200-$2000 per item.
Social media content, however, is a sustainable and affordable option for those with an iPhone, a passion for photography and videography, and looking for a side hustle.
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Onthedaysocials started with an iPhone, gimble and laptop - and that's the only equipment the team uses to this day.
A standard model of the newest iPhone 15 will set customers back $1499 minimum, with Instagram and TikTok offering free editing software on the app.
Those looking to invest a little bit more into the side hustle can purchase the industry standard editing software for iPhone, Adobe Rush, for $79 a month.
"Social media has opened doors for everyone, it's about using it to your advantage and using it the right way," Semrany said.
"It's (social media) definitely evolved and changed, it's made this possible for all kinds of content creators."
"It really depends on someone's passion, I'm not sure if just anyone could go and do it, because it depends on how far someone wants to take it."
