When planning your wedding for 2018 and beyond, I only have one piece of advice for you. Give your guests the gift of an unplugged wedding ceremony. A ceremony where devices are turned off. Allow them be present, for you, for your vows and for themselves.
Over the weekend I attended the first wedding in over a decade I was not photographing. It was beautiful. The guests were told in the invitation and again in the ceremony there was to be no cameras or phones out. And we were present. We heard the vows. We watched the kiss. And we enjoyed the wedding without having to get “that post” for social.
Before you call me a digital prude, know that I have built my business with social media. I can’t survive as a business without it. Broadway shows, court and other important ceremonies ask for our phones to be put away. Isn’t a wedding more important than a Broadway show? Ok, maybe not for Hamilton fans…
Not only is this a gift for your wedding guests, but it’s a gift for you the wedding couple. You can look back at your friends and family, just like your parents did, sharing in the moment with you.
As a wedding photographer, I’ve photographed dozens of unplugged weddings. I can assure you people need help to stop themselves. Even grandparents are jumping into the aisle with bifocals on to snap a pic! If you book professional wedding photographer or videographer you can leave the job to capturing the moments in their hands. (This is why it’s important to vet your wedding photographer, see article I wrote on this here).
I know what you are going to say, but that baller hashtag we came up with. #marriedtothegamesohetookmyname. No worries here. Use that etsy wedding hashtag sign you bought. You can still embrace electronics during the reception. Break out cameras and phones for the dances and reception madness.
So go ahead have the craziest most insane wedding customized to show your style and give your guests the gift of wedding ceremony presence.
As a guest what do you think of this? Would you still try and snap a pic? Wedding couples will you be doing this?