You hired a professional wedding photographer, well, take pictures, so do you really want all your guests to snap away, too?
On the day we live in now, we have phones with 8 mega pixel cameras and the ability to instantly share photos with hundreds of friends via social media, it's no surprise that you're constantly seeing guests snapping away and uploading photos. Even when they're loaded, they're constantly checking comments, like, tweets the list goes on. Every family also has someone who is a hobbyist / wanting pro photographer who has a kit and loves to take a photo, you know who they are ... telling you to get together for a group shot.
Why You May Want to Consider Having a 'Unplugged Wedding' Unplugged Weddings: Make sure your guests are 'Oh,' and I haven't even mentioned the dreaded selfie stick yet!
For some, this may not be an issue, it may be part of their life and enjoy it, but you may not realize until after your perfect day until you see your official wedding photos captured by your photographer, why this might be a matter for you. Some couples don't want their special day to be spread over social media to people they don't even know about, couples want their guests to enjoy the day, appreciate the effort and planning they've made, and have a good time. You want your guests to switch off from the outside world and enjoy the surroundings, let go and enjoy the day, watch the day through their eyes, not the LCD screen.
You have invited your guests to come and celebrate your love on this day, so you want them to be 'there.' Check out these 23 Pictures that Will Make You Wedding Unplugged!
From a guest perspective, it's almost a habit, almost a need to take a photo because everyone else is, they forget that you hired a professional wedding photographer, they forget that it's about people getting married, people they love and they can sit back and enjoy and enjoy the moment.
Phones don't need to be banned, if there's an emergency with your family of guests or something urgent, people will want their phone on, your guests will be more relaxed knowing they can be contacted if there's anything urgent, especially if they have children. If you were asked to leave the phone at home, would you?
You may want to kindly ask your guests not to take pictures and keep their phones in their pockets just for the ceremony and while you walk down the aisle.
Talk to your wedding photographer, ask them if there are a few shots you can share with your guests not long after the wedding, it could be via social media or email, it doesn't matter, just make sure your guests know they're going to be able to see some photos and get back to the day. The Wedding Photographers see, 3 Ways to kindly ask your wedding guests to take away their phones ... Wedding Invite & Program Note Just a simple note on the invitation or wedding program asking all guests to kindly turn off their devices, phones and cameras, preventing any unwanted ringtones from going off, distracting guests and phones and cameras from being waved around. You could also follow this up with an announcement before the ceremony, as mentioned in the next item.
Announcement Tying in with the first point the best man or a wedding official could politely ask your guest not to take photos as you have a wedding photographer who captures you on a special day, so sit back and enjoy the ceremony!
If you have a band or a DJ, you might also ask them to remind your guests to hold back the photos of the first dance so that your wedding photos are not spoiled by the guests holding up their phone or the random bright lights from the camera flashes.
Signs Of course you can have a little fun when you kindly tell them to put their phones away, you can put a creative message on a sign and leave it outside the church or a ceremony for the guests to see, I'm sure you'll see someone taking a snapshot of it on their phone too!
Plugged or unplugged, huh?
This article is not about telling you what you're supposed to do, but it's about an important consideration that many couples won't consider or even cross their minds, but it's too late to see photos appear on Facebook and guests holding their phone in your photos taken by your wedding photographer.
You may read this and not be angry, and that's fine, however you may read this, and you may not have thought about it or thought about it, and that's what it's all about, ensuring that your day is as perfect as you want it to be after spending weeks planning every little detail. Do you need, or do you want, hundreds of photos taken by your guests?
Just remember that you decided to hire and pay for a professional wedding photographer to capture the story of your wonderful wedding day. Make sure you get the best of the stories and the best photos you can get.
