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Who doesn’t love a Flash intro to a website? (Unless you’re on a slow connection, of course.)
So, I set out to try to figure out how to get one for our website. Of course, I have zero experience with Flash, but no worries—Google to the rescue! I found this super easy free Flash Slideshow Maker, and promptly downloaded it to try.
This is what pops up when you download and open the program… it really is this easy (and did I mention, FREE!):
Just find the pictures on your computer that you want in the Flash show, and drag them to the bottom:
Then you select your transition effects (very similar to creating a PowerPoint):
Then you can mess around with different themes if you want, or if not, just go to the Publish tab at the top and create your flash intro!
(Note that this is actually a .wma version of my flash intro, since you can’t embed Flash. So my transition effects are slightly different in the real version. I also set this up to repeat the pictures for a while, because at the end it will display the Flash Slideshow Maker logo, which is pretty much the only downside of the free-ness. I’m hoping our guests will get tired of the repeats and click into our site before it reaches the end. Also, through GoDaddy I set it up to play music during the Flash intro, which is another nice option for the software.)
What neat software or tools have you found to spice up your wedding website?
(all screenshots in this post were taken by me)
*raises hand* I actually don’t like flash intros. I actually despise flash on websites in general. I feel it’s usually not done well, it doesn’t really add anything to the experience, it makes navigation more complicated, you actually have to wait for something to load, and not everyone has flash installed. I do, but I have to turn my noscript off which is a pain in the butt. The worst is when a site makes noise. Autoplay music, sounds when you click something. Either I’m at work or at home watching TV. Either way, it’s annoying.
I think only twice in my life have I ever said, wow, that was a good use of flash on that website.
Don’t do it, just don’t. Please. And if you do do it, I beg of you, HAVE AN OPTION TO SKIP. And make it a link so I don’t have to have flash installed to enter your site.
Thank you.
/rant
I originally had a grandiose plan of learning php and sQL but gave up and paid a company $100 for a website that does everything I want. Not super personal but I’m too lazy.
I actually opted to turn OFF flash for my website. I don’t like flash either, for mostly the same reasons that imLissy mentioned. Hopefully it is an option to not make flash a default when guest first visit your site but an option that can click on if they want to see it?
Yep, there is an option to both skip the flash intro page, and a sound mute option. I think it’s either love/hate with flash, people either dig it or they don’t, I just happen to like it 
I also despise flash for many of the reasons imLissy mentioned. Additionally, flash doesn’t display the same on all computers(ie if you have an older version of flash or if you’re running a different OS than the person who made it) so even if you do have flash installed it can still end up looking horrible, sometimes to the point where the website is basically not functional.
I don’t think I’ve -ever- seen a use of flash that I’ve liked…
@CienDragon: There was one photographer’s website I went to and I said, wow, that was really well done, but I’ve since lost the bookmark.
But one of the reasons I picked the photographer I did: his site had no flash and was very simple to navigate. Come to think of it … I don’t think any of my vendors use flash on their sites …
You are so tech savy! I love it! We just went with one of the plug and play sites
I click away quickly when I open a site with a flash intro. They’re annoying.
It was the cool thing to do back when the whole Internet was new, but now everyone wants a clean, crisp page that’s easy to navigate.
Thanks for sharing! I’m totally not tech-savvy, but this seems straightforward enough!
As for liking flash or not, I agree that it might be a love/hate thing - but adding the option to skip it on your page covers that.
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Mrs. Cola, Mountain View, CA Age and Occupation: 27, Product Communications and Promotions Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Managing Partner and Senior Designer Engagement Date: March 5, 2009 Wedding Date: June 2010 Venue: The Mountain Terrace, Woodside, CA About Me: I’m a Washington State native, enjoying life in Silicon Valley California with my fiancé, our three kitties and one leopard gecko. I like reading wedding blogs, Photoshopping wedding design mock ups, making lists, and planning, planning, planning! I’m a bit of an anomaly, on one side I’m a very girlie girl, I collect shoes, I lay out my outfits 4-6 weeks in advance, and I’d never leave the house without my hair curled and makeup on. But on the other side, I’m a total tomboy, I love to go camping and hiking, play drinking games (hey, I’m Irish!) and most of my closest friends are guys. My fiancé and I are planning a DIY-focused wedding with a balance between easygoing (what he wants) and chic and stylish (what I want), and are tying it all together with elements in lavender, sage, butter cream and chocolate.
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