What is an unplugged wedding?
An unplugged wedding is where you ask your guests to turn off their phones, cameras, tablets, and other mobile devices during your ceremony.
There are many benefits to having an unplugged wedding!
- When guests use their own cameras, there are many ways that this affects the photography that you’re actually paying for. Guests oftentimes are taking photos at the same time we are, and their flashes interfere with our cameras, leaving you blown out completely (and unsalvageable) or having weird shadows or lighting throughout the photos.
- Guest cameras can leave a red or green dot from their focusing mechanisms. These will show up in our images.
- If guests don’t turn off the noise on their cameras, they could be very loud when taking the photos. This can be very distracting to you and your guests.
- Speaking of distracting – let’s talk about iPads and other tablets used to take photos. They are HUGE and are very distracting. If we are taking a wide photo of your ceremony, your eyes go straight to the tablet and completely ignore the beautiful couple exchanging vows.
- Guests will often get in the aisle or stand in front of the professional photographers, blocking their shot. Sometimes, it’s too late for us to be able to get them to move, and we certainly don’t want to upset your guests by making them move.
- During family formals, guests will often stand around photographers to get shots of their own, which can create harsh lighting if they use their flash. Even if they don’t use their flash, it causes the group to constantly be looking around, leaving wandering eyes. It’s hard for the photographer to get a good photo with everyone looking at the camera when there are multiple people taking photos around you.
- Most importantly, if your guests are taking photos, they are not fully able to enjoy the moment. They are absent and distracted by their picture taking and posting.
Limit the ‘unplugged part’ of your wedding
You don’t have to have an entirely unplugged wedding from start to finish.
Your ceremony is the perfect time to ask guests to put their phones away and enjoy the moment. You can then make it clear, by arranging for your priest/celebrant/officiant/MC to make an announcement at the beginning and end of the ceremony.
We highly recommend having your wedding unplugged, but respect your wishes if you choose not to. If you have any questions concerning this or how to unplug your wedding, feel free to contact us and we can chat.
How do we request this from our guests?
It’s best when the officiant makes an announcement before the ceremony begin. She can say, “Before we begin, can I please ask you all to make sure your phones and any other devices are on silent? Bride and Groom have requested that you put your devices away for their ceremony/wedding, that you watch with your eyes and not your cameras, and that you all be present in the moment with them and that you watch with your eyes and not your cameras, and that you all be present in the moment with them.
And could you please be mindful of where the photographer is taking her awesome photos from, so as to not get in her way? They are more than happy to share the fabulous photos with you later.”
Don’t forget, this is YOUR wedding. Make it special, and ask for what you need.
Unplugged Wedding
