Technology is great, but like everything, it can be abused. I love how cameras and phones have made photography accessible for everyone, but there’s also a big downside to it: everyone takes photos at weddings. Now I know that might sound mean, but I’m not referring to the whole wedding day or even all guests. I’m referring to the people that either focus more on getting photos than the ceremony itself or even worse, the ones that get in the way. Because of these type of people, I’ve been happy to see many brides pushing for an unplugged wedding.
An unplugged wedding is where the couple asks the guests is to refrain from using devices. This is mainly done during the ceremony, but in some cases it could be the reception as well. There are a lot of benefits to this for everyone. For the guests, they can focus on the event and not on their device. Instead of wearing our their arms by holding up their phone to record the entire ceremony, they can relax and listen to the message. For the photographers, we don’t have to worry about dodging people that just jump out in the aisle or worry about having ten cell phones in the shot of the first kiss. For the bride and groom, people will enjoy the day more, and the photos will be better. All around, it’s a good idea.
To be honest, are the cell phone videos or photos really needed at all? Who’s going to watch someone else’s full ceremony later, especially one that’s low quality with bad audio and bouncing all over the place. The same goes for the photos. There’s a reason professional photographers don’t go around with cell phones: quality.
So the next time you are at a wedding if you see a sign that says, “Unplugged Wedding” or if they make an announcement before the ceremony, please respect the couple’s wishes. Don’t be rude and pull out your phone anyway. You’re a guest, so please let the professionals do their jobs.
