Is An Unplugged Wedding Right For You?

When you’re planning your wedding, one of the things you might find yourself considering is whether or not you’re going to have an unplugged wedding, or if you’re going to embrace how far technology and social media platforms have come and use it to your advantage on your wedding day. 

There’s obviously pros and cons to both sides here, but what is going to best suit you as a couple? I’ve seen my fair share of both unplugged weddings, and what I suppose you could call, ‘plugged-in’ weddings, and I’ve put together a number of tips to make sure that whatever type of wedding you choose, that it runs as smooth as possible. 

If you’re thinking of going down the path of having a completely unplugged ceremony, we’ve got some tips to help prepare your guests for this so there’s no disappointed relatives who brought their camera along, only to find out they can’t use it. 

• Let your guests know ahead of time via your invitations 

It can be as simple as including a separate card in the envelope to let your guests know in advance about your intentions for an unplugged wedding. 

An example of something you could say is,  “We invite you to be truly present at our ceremony, and respectfully request that all cameras and phones be turned off. We look forward to sharing our professional photos with you after the big day.”

• You can also have a friend or two to greet your guests at your ceremony location to remind them to put their phone/camera away. 

• Have signage or a mention of your unplugged wedding on the program. 

• Ask your priest/celebrant/officiant/MC to make a housekeeping announcement before the ceremony begins. 

This is something that’s super helpful, as some of your guests may not see your signage, or they may have missed out on receiving a program announcing that it’s an unplugged wedding. So having someone announce it before the ceremony begins really helps to get the message across to all your guests in a nice friendly way. 

For some though, having a completely unplugged wedding may not be the right fit, and if that's the case for you, we’ve got some tips that you can spread to family and friends so that you can still have a day where your guests are present, but still able to take some happy snaps as well!  

• Adhere to any religious or cultural rules of the ceremony - don't use your phone during mass for example, and refrain from taking photos during any sacred elements of a wedding ceremony.

• Avoid taking a shot as a bride or groom walks down the aisle, they want to see your smiling faces, not the back of your phone! If you can’t resist though, keep your phone out of the aisle. There’s nothing worse than a bride being obscured by Auntie Bettie’s iPad.

• If you are taking a photo during the ceremony or the speeches, take a snap then put your phone back down, you don't need to film the entire thing.

Likewise, no couple wants to look around their wedding and see everyone buried in their phone. If you must post a pic to Instagram or send a shot of the bride to your work WhatsApp group, do it quickly, then put away your phone and enjoy the party!

•Cameras and phones are okay, but please refrain bringing an iPad to a wedding! Tablet screens are too big and only end up blocking everyone else's view of what's going on.

•Last but not least, I ask guests to be mindful of the professional photographers. The wedding is their workplace and they're trying to do their job and capture all the special moments of a couple's big day. The last thing they need is you getting into their shot which is purely for the Bride & Groom, just so you can capture it for yourself! You can always ask the Bride & Groom for the professional photos once they’re done! The last thing you want is the Bride & Groom to get their photos back and for them to notice you photobombing their favourite shots. 

We might be totally biased on this topic, but we really feel that if your guests are completely present in your day, you will always get much better photos that tell your story of the day beautifully. Take a look at some of our favourite moments that have been captured where not a single phone is in sight!

I hope this helps you choose if an unplugged wedding is going to be right for you on your special day!