Would YOU take a stranger to a wedding? Tinder launches feature for users to find dates for a flurry of post-lockdown ceremonies – but some singletons brand it ‘odd and desperate’
- Tinder’s new feature allows users to find guest to take to an upcoming wedding
- Plus One feature sees user signal they’re either looking for or willing to be a date
- Comes as countless weddings were postponed as a result of the Covid pandemic
- Feature, which launched earlier this month, has received mixed response online
Tinder has launched a new feature enabling singletons to take a stranger to a loved ones wedding after countless ceremonies were delayed due to the pandemic.
The Plus One feature, which launched earlier this month, allows users to signal they are either looking for a date to take to a wedding, or willing to attend a stranger’s big day.
According to Weddings Taskforce figures in June, at least 320,000 weddings had been postponed in the UK since March 2020 and the dating app says the feature is a response to the upcoming swathe of ceremonies.
The feature has received a mixed response online, with some social media users dubbing the idea a ‘great way to create new friendships’ while others branded it ‘odd and desperate’.
Tinder has launched a new feature enabling singletons to take a stranger to a loved ones wedding after countless ceremonies were delayed due to the pandemic
Plus One is being launched in partnership with WeddingWire, a wedding planning resource which expects to see up to a 20 per cent increase in weddings in 2021 and 2022.
Tinder also revealed that users may already be trying to enlist dates to act as wedding dates, with mentions of ‘plus one’ in Tinder bios increasing 45 per cent since the beginning of the year.
Plus One is part of Tinder’s Explore page, which launched in September and allows users to take part in interactive experiences, such as online games, rather than simply chatting.
Kyle Miller, VP of Product Innovation at Tinder said: ‘We know many of our members are looking for a Plus One for their next wedding and we’re excited to now give them a way to do exactly that on Tinder.’
The feature has received a mixed response online, with some social media users dubbing the idea a ‘great way to create new friendships’ while others branded it ‘odd’
Some users were keen on the idea, with one writing: ‘Tinder is adding a feature to assist its users to find wedding dates OR suggest that they’re willing to be one.
‘This is great bc people create new friendships and won’t be arriving alone to a wedding. At times, it can be tough finding a plus one!’
Another excited singleton said: ‘Tinder has a ‘I need a wedding date’ feature now?? F** yes please let me spend this miserable winter getting dressed up so I can get drunk at strangers’ weddings eat fancy free meals while dancing to YMCA.’
But others weren’t sold on the idea, with one saying: ‘Tinder just launched a feature that allows people to find wedding dates on the app.
‘I just want to know what kind of person is going to invite a stranger to a wedding as their first date.’
Another said: ‘That makes me feel rather odd. Is a wedding considered an acceptable ‘date’ venue? I’d rather go to a wedding alone than take a plus one I met on Tinder and hardly knew.’