The Unplugged Wedding Ceremony

Friends and family can be responsible for one of the biggest wedding day nightmares--ruined pictures and video. There are horror stories of couples who've had guests to Livestream the ceremony, stealing the thunder from the videographers hired for thousands of dollars. There's also the guests who have jumped in aisles or completely blocked photographers' views of the most intimate wedding day moments. With so much that can go wrong, the unplugged wedding ceremony trend is only growing. Here's the pros and cons if you considering asking your guests to practice self restraint and put those phones away!

Hannah Mbalenhle Stanley of Hannah Way Photography posted a photo on Facebook showing how someone with a phone ruined her shot of the bride walking down the aisle.

PROS OF AN UNPLUGGED CEREMONY

- Guests pay more attention and are present for your ceremony - The photographer you paid for has an unobstructed view - You guarantee only your MOST FLATTERING images are posted online.

CONS OF AN UNPLUGGED CEREMONY

- An unplugged ceremony is difficult to enforce - You might not get to see any photos of your ceremony for quite some time, depending on the turnaround time of your photographer and what sneak peeks they send you - Any guests who couldn’t attend won’t be able to immediately watch your ceremony

Visual Reinforcement

It's never too early to drop hints to guests about your unplugged ceremony. You could post that detail on an invitation insert and wedding website. You'll also want to reiterate your wishes with ceremony signage.

Verbal Reinforcement

For some guests, it will take 3 verbal reminders. First, the usher should kindly remind guests to silence their phones and put them away. Secondly, your wedding planner gets to play ceremony cop! Guest see the the planner as a person with authority. If they ignore the usher and still grab their phone once seated, the planner can discretely reiterate your wishes. The third verbal reminder comes from the officiant who should ask everyone to put their phones away and be present in the moment before the processional.

Whether you choose an unplugged ceremony, reception, or both, make sure the communication is clear and consistent so everyone is on the same page.

Happy Planning!