Having an Unplugged Wedding Ceremony – The Pros & The Cons
Is An Unplugged Wedding a Good Thing?
Should We Have An Unplugged Wedding Ceremony?
As a wedding photographer, I am often asked about my thoughts on an unplugged wedding ceremony. My honest answer is its completely up to you, I can see reasons for and reasons against. This is where this blog post has originated from I thought I would share those thoughts with you. Alternately its completely up to you as the couple, it’s your day just do what makes your happy. Below I talk more about what exactly an unplugged ceremony is and some things you might want to consider.
What is an Unplugged Ceremony.
First I thought it is important to look at exactly an unplugged wedding ceremony is. Basically, you ask the wedding guest to ‘unplug’ during the ceremony so that they can enjoy it. This means any phones or cameras stay away for the duration of the ceremony and you guest can watch and enjoy the moments and not be distracted by taking pictures and watching the event unfold through their phone screen.
Tips To Make It Happen.
If you have decided that an unplugged wedding ceremony is for you then below I have listed a number of tips to make it happen.
– Ask whoever is conducting the ceremony, this might be a vicar or registrar to make a short announcement to your guests.
– Pop a note inside your invitations/order of service. This does not need to be anything fancy, just that you will be having an unplugged ceremony and respectfully ask them to put away they electronically devices.
– Make an unplugged sign to go at the entrance of the ceremony. Your venue dressers should be able to help you with this. Here is an example of what you could use,
“Welcome to our unplugged ceremony. We invite you to connect with us at this special time. Please, turn off your phones and put down your cameras. The photographer will capture how this moment looks — we encourage you all to capture how it feels with your hearts, without the distraction of technology. Thank you”.
Advantages
There are of course advantages and disadvantages of having an unplugged ceremony. Below I take a look at some of the advantages.
– In the modern world we live in people have so much on their phone it’s a big part of their life, we are almost conditioned to want to talk pictures at an event like this. By having an unplugged wedding you kind of giving them permission not to use their device.
– You limit the risk of a phone going off and interrupting your ceremony.
– There is no risk of the guests getting in the way of the professional photographer. (This is something which I can work with but it’s nice to know a guest is not going to stick an arm out into the middle of the aisle as the bride is walking down.)
– Guest can enjoy the ceremony instead of worrying about getting the best pictures.
– As the couple you will not have a load of phones iPads cameras pointing at you, clicking, flashing, while you’re trying to enjoy the ceremony.
Disadvantages.
Below I take a look at some of the disadvantages of an unplugged ceremony.
– Some people live to take pictures of everything. I’ll include my self in this. These guest might be a little upset in being told they can’t take pictures during the ceremony.
– Guest can really capture your wedding in full 360. Everyone has a phone in this day and age, it can be nice to look back on your wedding from a number of different angles and perspectives. Even if you have two professional photographers its impossible to capture everything.
Unplugged Wedding Ceremony FAQs
What is an unplugged wedding ceremony?
A ceremony where you ask guests to put phones and cameras away until it is over. Most couples keep it to the ceremony only, so everyone is free to photograph the drinks reception, the speeches and the dancing as much as they like.
How do we tell guests we are having an unplugged ceremony?
Three things working together. Ask whoever is conducting the ceremony, whether that is a vicar, a registrar or a celebrant, to say it out loud just before you walk in. Put a line inside your invitations or order of service. And stand a sign at the entrance to the ceremony room. The spoken announcement is the one that actually works. The note and the sign prepare people for it.
Does an unplugged ceremony give you better wedding photos?
It removes the two things that most often spoil ceremony pictures: a guest stepping into the aisle as you walk down it, and a row of raised phones between my camera and your faces. It is not the difference between good and bad photographs, but it is the difference between a clean aisle shot and one with an iPad in the middle of it.
Should the whole wedding be unplugged, not just the ceremony?
I would not go that far. Your guests are in places I physically cannot be, and their pictures are worth having. Keeping it to the ceremony protects the part that only happens once, without losing everything else.
