Guest not allowed to take photographs...

You can post a sign at the guest book table, and say

"Due to possible flash interference and lighting issues, please refrain from taking photographs during the ceremony."

I'd also probably put it in your programs as well.

Actually, your situation is easy, since you can blame the venue. For example:

"Due to possible flash interference and lighting issues, the venue prohibits photographs during the ceremony."

"Turn that camera off FOOL!"

We will have a similar situation. Guests aren't allowed to take pictures at all, and the photographer is only allowed non-flash photography from the balcony in the back. Anyway, I'd vote for putting it in the program and maybe a sign outside of the sanctuary. If you want to be super careful, you could have the officiant or whoever make a very polite announcement before the ceremony, but I'm not sure how logistically/timewise that would work out.

Ok.. so my real answer.. we put in on our programs. It reads

"please turn off all elcetronic devices during the ceremony. When the ceremony is complete, the bride and groom with host a time for snapshots to be taken"

Thanks for all the input ladies!!

I'd probably find a way to include phones in that as well since some of the smart phones now have a flash. You could call it an "Unplugged Wedding"....no cameras & phones during the ceremony. Sadly, I'll have a beautiful wide angle photograph of the bride and groom during their ceremony....and the guests in the photo? All have their cameras up to get a shot their cameras don't have the capability to take, are looking at the photo they took with their cell phone, or are leaning into the aisle with their arm to get "that shot for Facebook" and totally ruining a beautiful photo of the Bride & Groom because their arm is smack dab in the middle of the photo. These shots make me sad. You could let your guests know that the ceremony is unplugged...meaning no photography with cell phones or cameras...your professional has it covered, and the venue doesn't want interference with the lighting.

Our wedding was outdoors and it wasn't a 'rule' but we still asked our pastor to announce it after the procession and his welcome.

He just said something to the effect of "Welcome to this here marriage between Zahra & Ricardo. As we go through the proceedings, we ask that you stay at your places and refrain from using flash photography to facilitate the work of the professionals. Thank you. Let us pray ..."

I actually thought "no cameras" was a crazy idea, until I looked at pictures just like Stephanie just said, where there are so many people with their cameras up right in the middle of the picture.

Sorry, no help with the OP, just agreeing with a post.

We initially booked a venue that did not allow photography, but ended up switching to another place. Some venues are really "big" on selling photo packages, which is probably one of the reasons why they do not want guests to take pictures. Also, guests taking pictures during the cermoney could prove to be a bit disruptive. I would suggest informing guests in advance regarding the photo policy, that way there are no surprises.

There are a lot of people on here (myself included) who don't believe that the entire wedding is just about the couple. But when it comes to the ceremony, it's all about you. You can make the rules. If you want no cameras and no cells phones, don't be afraid to say so. If they're really your friends and if they love you, they'll respect that. Because frankly, a guest's desire to have that perfect picture on their cell phone doesn't trump having perfect professional pics. Or even if it doesn't ruin your pictures, you don't want to look into the sea of guests and see half of them glued to their cameras and phones. You want them to see you and IMO, there's nothing wrong with that.

Ask your pastor/ preacher/ priest/ officiant or the venue coordinator to announce it before the ceremony. Also ask for cell phone shut off

There are a couple of ideas on here. http://offbeatbride.com/2011/06/unplugged-wedding-templates I saw this on my photographers' blog. As much as I am a camera freak (I take a crazy amount of pictures while on vacation, etc) I think we are going to do this. Especially after this past weekend. I was in my cousin's wedding. The groom's uncle (who was NOT their professional photographer) literally pushed the MOH out of the way to get pictures of the sand ceremony. I could not believe it. I came back to this when we got home and am really, really thinking of enforcing it.

For my daughters wedding, we put that information on the back of the program as well as a reminder to turn off cell phones.

The room my daughter was married in was filled with mirrors, so, this was very important. LOL!

Yah... our wedding is unplugged. Here is my program.

2d has it nicely... and Rachel, your first comment....LMAO

I like the unplugged idea. I'd also have your ushers let everyone know as they come in.

I'm not a huge fan of an audience full of people taking camera and phone shots instead of being in the moment for the couple, and I am also finding that the smartphones can wreck total havoc with my portable sound system. I'm not a big fan of getting martian noises and static in the middle of a couples' vow just so aunt Mary can take photos that the photographer will take anyway. Just my 2 cents.

I was recently at a wedding and the officiant announced it before the ceremony started.

I would probably note it on the invitations AND on signs leading into the room where you're ceremony is held (people may forget between the invitation and the day of). Something like, "During the ceremony, please turn off all cameras and mobile phones and refrain from taking pictures. The use of these devices will interfere with our professional photographer's equipment and the quality of our pictures. Thank you!"

...if that's not too long.

As an officiant, I don't really like to start your wedding with an announcement. It is, above all, a sacred,momentous experience, not a movie.... put it on the programs, ask the ushers to tell people, maybe even have the venue announce it, but when your officiant starts to talk, the tone should change. Just my 2cents...