Technology vs. weddings
Hello everyone!!
I think that everyone can agree that technology is everywhere and it is here to stay. Where opinions may vary is whether or not you want technology at your wedding. With apps like Instagram and Snapchat, it seems like all guests think they have been transformed into wedding photographers. This can make it a little bit more difficult for your professional photographer to do their job. Today I am going to list some of the benefits of unplugged weddings and how to phrase it in a way that won't offend your guests!
"What is an unplugged wedding?" you may ask! Well, an unplugged wedding is where through either signage, an announcement or both, you ask your guests to turn off all electronic devices during the wedding. I know that the thought of being without your precious phone for an hour or two may throw some into a cold sweat, but trust me it is so worth it!
By turning phones off, you can guarantee that the most beautiful moments of your wedding will not be spoiled by Nikki Manaj's Anaconda, or whatever ringtone is popular at the moment!
I know that you might be proud of uncle Bob for getting with the times and buying his first smartphone, but I highly doubt that you want to see his new prized possession in the corner of an otherwise beautiful shot of your first kiss as a married couple. You wouldn't believe how many times I've seen guests dive out into the isle right in front of me during the first kiss! I even had a lady jump in front of me with an iPad once! This is a once in a lifetime moment, and you don't want anything or anyone getting in the way of it! I guarantee that my shot will be better than anything that they will be able to get with their phones, and once they see it, I'm sure they will agree.
On that same note, your photographer will love you! I absolutely love my job, but there is a lot of pressure to perform. People pay me good money to capture their big day, and I want to exceed all of their expectations. Anything that helps me do my job better is always greatly appreciated!
You won't have to worry about the first photo from your wedding that people see having a really cheesy Snapchat filter on it.
It will make your wedding day more efficient! Family photos and couple's portraits are always a little bit chaotic. In most cases, the photographer only has 1 hour to get through the groups and then get beautiful photos of the newlyweds. The process gets really bogged down when the photographer has lots of people around him telling the groups to wait so they can get a picture with their phone. Don't worry! We have it covered :)
It's all about angles. Your photographer (if they are experienced) has a shot list in his head for where he needs to be, and when he needs to be there during the ceremony. We need to be able to move freely through the Isles to capture certain moments. It can be pretty tricky to get the shots that we need when we are battling for angles.
A really weird thing happens when people are without electronic devices. They talk too each other! I know some might be thinking.. talking?? That's so 90's! But it is pretty awesome seeing all of the most important people in your lives mingling and having a great time together!
Unplugged goes for the bride and groom too! Maybe let one person in the bridal party have your phone just in case a relative gets lost on their way to the venue, but other than that, BE PRESENT IN THE MOMENT! You put so much hard work in to your wedding. Be sure to look around and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Your Facebook status can always be changed in the car on the way home after the wedding! (By the passenger of course) :)
You want your guests to appreciate all of your fine details too! You know those details that you obsessed over, lost sleep over, and put your heart and soul into? Well your guests won't be noticing any of them if they are busy adding items to their Amazon cart or checking sports scores.
Leave the photos to the pros! You are going to look amazing on your wedding day and we will make sure of it! You don't want to have your self confidence damaged by an unflattering poorly lit picture. We work hard to make sure that the angle, lighting and style will capture how great you will look on your big day!
Tell your guests not to worry. Some photographers with have a sample to the couple as early as the next day! Well, at least that's what I do! That way they can download and have a little souvenir for themselves!
There will be less incriminating evidence! Let's say you get a little caught up in the spirit of the celebration and decide to have a few extra rounds during the champagne toast. If you don't want drunken pictures of you doing karaoke into your bouquet, tagged all over social media, you may want to limit those cell phone shots. The photographer will capture all of the hilarity and you can choose what is shared with the public.
Ok, I have you interested. But how do you a have an unplugged ceremony without sounding aggressive or like a party pooper?
Announce it on your invitations. This way your guests won't be shocked by your request the day of the wedding.
Make a cute sign that makes it sound like a invitation to share a moment with you rather than a demand.
Have the officiant make an announcement at the beginning of the ceremony to remind anyone that may have forgotten.
A lot of the time, I suggest that the couple only does the ceremony portion of their wedding unplugged. That way the guests can get their photo fix during the reception. This seems like a compromise that will hopefully keep everyone happy. In fact, one shot that I loved from a recent wedding, was because of the phones! There was a freak power outage during the first dance and the guests were quick to act by turning on their phones flashlights. If anything I think phones saved the day at that moment!
But at the end of the day, the decision is yours! If you want your wedding to be captured from all angles, you have every right to. I just want to make sure that your wedding photos are all you could ever want and more! Happy planning everyone!
-Dustin