Post # 1

Member
2434 posts
Buzzing bee
Is there one location (like a Welcome Page) where new users can go to find a crash course on the features of Weddingbee?
If not, I’m wondering if it might be useful?
It may also be helpful for other Bees as well.
I mention this because (maybe I’ve been on here too long) I’m starting to feel like a lot of the stuff on the boards is repetitive possibly because people don’t seem to use the search tools. Maybe they do not know they are available?
I understand some posts cover very individual circumstances, but lots of stuff like DIY project how-tos, product reviews, online vendor advice, etc. can be found by searching (and possibly ‘bumping’ old posts up to renew activity on them instead of starting from scratch).
I find that I frequently just post links to other posts because the topic has been extensively covered.
Am I alone in this?
Post # 3

Member
160 posts
Blushing bee
As a fairly new bee, I think it would have been very helpful! Maybe a page that says how to post, where exactly to post certain topics, how to add tags, pictures, or threads, etc. You slowly find this stuff out and it would be great if the site offered a crash course as you put it for the newbees! I am slowly learning there is MUCH more to this site than blogging!
Post # 4

Member
456 posts
Helper bee
I was actually thinking that myself, especially when I first found this site. I actually found the boards before the blogs, and was kind of confused on the user names. Wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be a "miss something" or what. I didn’t know what was going on! I still am not always sure where I should post certain questions. And I think if I wasn’t here when the "encore" board was created, I probably wouldn’t realize what that means. Just my random thoughts.
Post # 5

Member
225 posts
Helper bee
I think its a great idea! Have a glossary, site map, welcome/how to’s and even acronym definitions!
Post # 6

Member
626 posts
Busy bee
There is a FAQ place and such on the board. However, it is really hard to find. It took me forever to figure out somethings "everyday" things about the board. Things such as the abbreviations, origination of the names, how to search, and who to contact if I have a problem have been (and sometimes still are) issues.
As far as posting links to old threads.. well.. I think that’s going to be a necessary evil in order to keep the board young and active. Anytime you start chastising / expecting users to not repost things that have already been talked about you run the risk of the board becoming stale. The longer you’ve been on here the more you’re going to see things rehashed. There is a limited amount of things to talk about. Theoretically, in approx 2 years there will essentially be all new users on here. In order for the board to stay alive they are going to have to reask the questions that have been asked before. Otherwise this becomes an archive and not a community.
Post # 7

Member
2434 posts
Buzzing bee
rnc- I agree that we don’t want this to become stale, but it really seems like at least once a week someone posts asking for online flower vendors. There are probably dozens of recent posts about that topic.
I don’t mean to chastise people for making redundant posts, but that frequency makes me think that people don’t realize the other posts are there- that they don’t know they can search. In those instances, it would make sense for there to be one or 2 threads with lots of info instead of many many posts with only a few replies.
So, aside from the stale/archive issue- Bees will get the most out of the boards if they know how to search them and find the info they are looking for. And resurrecting old posts is a way to keep the boards active while not losing info to start from scratch on a topic. (For instance- I DIYed my flowers and got useful info out of a board post. After my wedding I went back to that same board post and added my experience. My new post bumped the old post up in the queue and prompted new activity.)
Post # 8

Member
1428 posts
Bumble bee
As a fairly new bee, I think that’s a great idea rosychicklet!
Post # 9

Member
742 posts
Busy bee
I think its also a great idea!! It can show the different status’s you can gain, how it all works, maybe even an automated announcement that a new bee joined!
Post # 10

Member
2725 posts
Sugar bee
Yes! I’ve been on here a month and I’m still trying to figure it some things out.
Post # 11

Member
2404 posts
Buzzing bee
i def think its good idea…. i just figured out the different "status" of bee you can gain, and a glossary would be very helpful! i still don’t know what Darling Husband means! great suggestion!
Post # 12

Member
742 posts
Busy bee
It would be nice to have an advanced search engine where you can be more specific. Like sometimes when I search I find all blogs when I want to find message boards on a topic of vice-versus.
Krissybee– I also don’t know what Darling Husband means! lol I’ve figured out some of the other lingo like FH and Maid/Matron of Honor cause they are obvious but there are others like Darling Husband that I still haven’t figured out!
Post # 14

Member
256 posts
Helper bee
I agree that there seems to be a lot of repetition in regards to the board postings. Maybe it would be helpful to have a sort option to sort by subject, date, last reply posted, etc, instead of just flipping through the pages of posts and searching.
I know I probably don’t agree with the majority and hope this is not in any way offensive, but a lot of the posts that are being posted lately aren’t as helpful as ones posted in the past. I am just as excited as the next bride about the "show me" posts, and I have contributed to them. After a million and one posts just asking about wedding details, maybe the goal is to get to a certain bee level by posting as much as possible?
Post # 15

Member
77 posts
Worker bee
I’m more of a learn by exploring type of person. I would rather start clicking on buttons and fumble my way around.
Post # 16

Member
510 posts
Busy bee
I third the glossary of acronyms!!!!!!!!!! as a newbee (finally understood the different types
) I had a HARD time understanding what all of the acronyms meant…i think there definitely needs to be a terms list for that…other than that i’m like betabride…I don’t mind similar posts…I like to explore different posts and see how two people did the same things differently…