One of the most common questions I get asked when I meet with couples in person is whether or not they should do an unplugged ceremony… or if they want to, how should they do it?!

If you’re not familiar with unplugged ceremonies, they are essentially when you request that your guests turn off all of their devices for the ceremony. This allows the photographer to work more freely with no worry of getting guests in their shots! As a photographer, there is nothing worse than trying to photograph the bride coming down the aisle and have someone stick their phone out in front of you (yes, it’s happened).

I think these are some GREAT ideas, and I’ve had many of my couples do them with amazing success! Guests are typically very respectful if you ask them to not be taking photos during the ceremony and it will reflect in your photos. This especially shows in the wider shots; you’ll either see a lot of guests holding their phones up for photos,or your guest sitting and enjoying the moment!

To make this happen at your ceremony, I recommend first having a sign at the entrance of the ceremony that encourages guests to put away their devices! You can also include a short and sweet line on your ceremony program that requests that no one has their devices out. You can also request your officiant to announce it a few minutes before the ceremony starts, to reinforce what they’ve already read!

Trust me not only will your photographer love you but a beautiful thing happens: your guest are sitting and enjoying the moment you two become husband and wife, instead of starting at their screens.