To unplug or not to unplug

I am requesting that during the ceremony all electronics be shut off. From the cocktail hour on I am planning on having a sign with # on it for the wedding on it. My future husband is a lawyer and very concerned with decorum.

We went unplugged. So did the other 3 weddings, that I've been involved in.

Here's the quality of guest photos, that you'll be missing, if you don't go unplugged.

Edit: This was the proof, from the professional photographer. Re: You can imagine the quality of guest photos, from this group.

The kids were not smiling, The one on the right of the photo looked like she was pleading to get out of there. The other ones looked scared.

Jessica and Catlady, I totally agree. I also have yet to see a sign that didn't rub me the wrong way. We did not have an unplugged ceremony and guests did take photos on their phones. So what? I loved having my 70-year-old father recording our ceremony on his phone with a huge smile on his face. It was touching. No one got in the photographer's way and no one posted pictures of us to social media because we had asked they not. I just don't see what all the hoopla is about.

Dreamer, they're not in the way, they're not disrupting the photographer. I guess I don't see the big deal about cell phones being in the picture. All it tells me is that their guests were taking photos/recording this beautiful moment.

My officiant will mention it at the beginning of the ceremony

You haven't Jessica? You must have a very well behaved social group, because I see awful, rude, self centered behaviour literally every week unless the "no photos during the ceremony" thing is communicated in numerous ways. I had someones aunt literally stand at the end of the GM's line and take Ipad photos until the bride was at the front, and she only sat down because I shot her a look that coulda curled her hair. This was after signs, ushers and my announcement. Apparently, none of this applied to her.

If adults actually acted like adults instead of jockeying into position to get the best shot instead of really paying attention? There would be no need for this discussion at all.

If you don't care? Then skip it and let everyone do what they want. If you do care, then do whatever is within reason to make sure 50 people aren't standing up taking the same damn photo everyone else is. There is a totally different atmosphere to a ceremony where people are actually focused on the couple instead of photos of the couple.

I agree on the reception though; there are many focal points and many little groups of people who will want to take photos, and that's pretty hard to control. But the overwhelming feeling that recording something is more important than actually being part of is kind of entitled and selfish.

Yes, unplugged. If guests are getting better photos than the photographer, it's the fault of who hired that photographer.

We are going unplugged for our ceremony. My friend did it and her photos are amazing, with no one standing in the aisle. I don't see why people feel the need to take a photo of people walking down the aisle. Buy a print if you want it so much. Stay out of the way of the photographer I paid thousands for who will take a 100% better picture than you! Lol but that's just MO

I'm team unplugged, but only because I don't want my photographer to not be able to do her job. If a kid needs an iPad to keep still or a cousin is texting I don't really care TBH. I mean I kind of do, but thats not the purpose of my unplugged request.

Wow Celia. That literally blows my mind. I love the comment about shooting her a look that "coulda curled her hair!" Hahaha that would totally be me if I ever saw that! Even if I was the bride, the irritation would be so obvious on my face! Haha I guess I'm lucky! Haha I've literally never seen any childish or inappropriate behavior like that! If I had ever seen anything like that then I would definitely be pro unplugged!

Our officiant made an announcement about silencing cell phones but didn't tell people not to take pictures and I am very thankful we didn't go unplugged. I love our pro pics but some of our best pictures are from guests because they are at different angles. My friend took this awesome one of my dad and me at the top of the aisle while the pro was further away and got a wider shot. I prefer this one over any of the pro ceremony shots so I'm thankful that my friend took it.

We are having an unplugged ceremony. We will have that detail on an enclosure card when we send out invitations, a sign at the wedding, announcements from DJ and officiant.

We are having an unplugged ceremony. I was on the fence but after attending my cousin's wedding, It was hard to see because the two people in front of me had their cameras up the entire time and even my dad (next to me) missed most of the ceremony because he was messing with his phone trying to see if he got good photos. So, we will be having a sign as you walk towards your seats and the officiant will announce it. I hope people care enough about us to respect our wishes, but if not-it is what it is.

Jessica, you brought up a really interesting point (besides the fact that I can side-eye like a pro..oh wait..I am one, lol)

Many people say, "Oh, I won't mind", but I can tell you that the emotions that take over at the altar space are unpredictable and furious; nerves, happiness, fear (not of your partner or your marriage, lol, but of all.those.people), excitement. Concentrating on your partner is hard when twelve relatives are snapping away, sometimes right next to you.

Your photographer can catch it. And better when no one is in their way.

While I don't plan to tell the 25 or so guests we have coming not to take photos at all, I will talk to all of them at some point between now and then and ask that they simply stay out of my photographer's way so I get the images I want/paying for -- most (from my side anyway!) know how important photography is to me (I'm a former portrait photographer) and will honor that, especially during the formals right after the ceremony. I've snuck shots (with my phone) at several of my cousins weddings without getting in the way of the photographer that he/she wouldn't have captured angle-wise that once I could share I received thank you's for capturing and sharing.