Considering an Unplugged Ceremony
You’re getting married!
This is such an exciting time in your life and as you’re putting together the guest list your thinking about who means the most to you, whether it be friends or family. I’m sure you cant wait to celebrate your marriage with those that love you the most. It is hard for wedding guests to be fully present if they are trying to take pictures or record the ceremony on their phones. If you’ve thought about an unplugged ceremony or even heard of it you’re probably curious as to exactly what it means. I’ve laid out a few reasons to consider it and some ways to let your guests know below.
Being present on the wedding day
What I mean by this is that when your guests put their phones down they are living in the moment and capturing the day with their hearts and not a cell phone. In this day and age, everyone is a photographer – don’t get me wrong, phones can capture some amazing images but when doing so you are removing yourself from being present in the moment.
Speeds up Family Portraits
I don’t mind when friends and family members take photos during the portrait session. The couples that I work with treasure the moments of the day the most. When guests stand behind the photographer or off to the side taking photos it increases the amount of time that it takes to move through poses. Those who are in the photos don’t necessarily know where to look as they’re trying to appease their guests by looking at their phones. My couples tend to want to spend more time with their guests rather than taking a lot of posed portraits and I do my best to make that happen so that they can join in on cocktail hour to spend time with the people that mean the most to them.
Guests Phones in the Background of the Photos
Whether it’s during the processional, recessional, or the formalities during the reception it’s nice to have your guests faces in the photos and not hiding behind their phones. I’ve seen so many ceremonies and receptions where the couple is so excited they just got married but you can’t see many of the guests reactions. One of the best ways to tell the story of the day, which is my overall goal, is to get reactions from guests and capture the emotion.
How do you tell your guests that you want an unplugged ceremony?
There are so many ways now to let your guests know that you want an unplugged ceremony so the options are endless. Here are a few ways that I’ve found to be a great way to get the point across without feeling awkward about it.
The easiest way to tell your guests about the unplugged ceremony is a sign that’s placed where everyone will walk by. For the most part this can be enough but everyone has an Uncle Bob or Aunt Sally that feels as if that doesn’t pertain to them.
My favorite way of letting people know about your unplugged ceremony is having the officiant announce it. Some churches will take this part upon themselves as they don’t want everyone running around and taking photos, but others will only mention flash photography. I think the nicest and most impactful way that I’ve heard is, “the couple has asked that you put away your phones and instead capture the moment with your hearts and memories.” This was put so nicely and EVERYONE listened which was amazing. This may not be the first thing guests think about.
I hope you enjoyed hearing some of my thoughts on having an unplugged ceremony. If you want to hear more about this or talk about your wedding – contact me!
