Unplugged Ceremonies: Should we pull the plug?
What is an unplugged ceremony?
An unplugged ceremony is where the guests are asked to put their phones on silent, airplane
mode, off and completely away to encourage their complete presence in their ceremony.
Why do people choose to do an unplugged ceremony?
Many people look back at photos and see screens and feel like their guests were looking at their
ceremony through their phone rather than through their presence so eliminate this, guests are
asked to put their phones away and leave the snapping to the photographers.
What are the benefits of having an unplugged ceremony?
It’s the way to every photographer’s heart. I’ve often seen photographers have to dart, weave
and even ask guests to move their phones so they can shoot the important moments. Some of
the other benefits include: all your guests are present, all your photos will be of a high quality,
professional standard, you won’t have any phones blocking anyone’s reactions or your important
moments.
What are the downsides of having an unplugged ceremony?
There aren’t many but from personal experience, two downsides are, not feeling like you have
enough ceremony photos and also having to wait up to 3 months for your ceremony photos.
No major deal breakers.
What are the other ways to keep guests off their phones?
Unfortunately there are no guarantees but I can always tell guests early in the ceremony to be
mindful of the photographer. We can also have a ‘2 minute selfie sesh’ where guests are
asked to put their phones away but first, take a selfie of the ceremony or of themselves and
text them to you and your fiance with their well wishes.