Why You Absolutely Need to Have an Unplugged Ceremony!
A guest set up their camera + tripod for the ceremony portion of this wedding and constantly asked us to move every time we were in the shot and as you can see from the back of the camera, it was a pretty wide shot so we were "always" in frame.
After closing out another wedding season there’s no way we can hold back any longer: you NEED to have an unplugged ceremony
We know that your wedding is an incredibly sentimental time for not just you, but for your family, friends, and all of your guests too! They want to be able to take their own photos, and share with their friends and family and we absolutely understand that- you look great, your wedding looks great, who wouldn't want to show it off?!
With that being said, the number of times that we've been pushed out by Uncle Dave who also needs to shoot your first kiss or Aunt Pam FaceTiming on her iPad Pro asking us to move out of her way is innumerable. We're not joking. This happens. All. The. Time.
An example of 1. someone cutting in front of us to get their shot and 2. the same person using flash which also ruined our shot.
This wedding ceremony took place in the living room of a cottage so to say that space was tight is an understatement. Here's an example of someone cutting in front of us to get a photo of the newlyweds.
So what’s an unplugged ceremony you ask?
An unplugged ceremony is where you asks your guests to shut off their electronic devices for the duration of the ceremony. Having a note in your ceremony pamphlet is helpful to notify your guests and then having your officiant make an announcement just before beginning reinforces your message and also reminds your guests. Here's an example of what your officiant could say:
"Welcome, friends and family! Just before we begin today, Jane and John would like to invite you to be fully present at this special time. Please turn off your cell phones and put down your cameras, iPads, and all electronic devices. They have hired professional photographers *insert us waving here so you know who and where we are* who will capture these special moments; I kindly ask that you all to stay seated throughout the ceremony and truly enjoy the wonderful occasion without distraction."
Dear Friends,
We're not asking you to ask your guests to never take their phone out, ever, we're simply pleading with you to have an unplugged ceremony! Your ceremony is where the most crucial, non-repeatable, non-stoppable, moments of your wedding day happen.
If Uncle Dave elbows us out of his way and we (the people you've come to love and hire!) miss the shot, we can't stand up and ask you to do it again! If Aunt Pam is standing in the middle of the aisle and not letting us get by because we'll be in her way, then the angles we shoot your ceremony from become substantially limited- sometimes even cut out completely if we're not physically able to move around to other sides.
You've hired us so that your friends and family don't have to work, so let us do just that. Let your guests be guests and simply be present at your wedding day with no phones, video cameras, or iPads in their face.
With love,
Every wedding photographer, ever.