Polite way to tell guests no cell phones

It is called an 'unplugged' ceremony and if you search that on Pinterest you can find tons of wording ideas for that. A lot of people do it now.

@Celia has previously posted about how the officiant often makes this announcement at the beginning of the ceremony. So you can certainly ask your officiant, who probably has experience with phrasing and such.

It's called an "unplugged ceremony". Some people put up a sign as guests arrive to the ceremony, others have their officiant make an announcement. We are doing both. We framed a custom poster from Zazzle that looks really nice.

Make an unplugged ceremony sign. That's what we're doing!

I am doing the same!! It's called unplugged ceremony

Whoever is marrying you, we're having our pastor, before the ceremony starts he will give a little speech saying something like we ask everyone to put your phones away to enjoy the ceremony.

He knows the perfect wording I just can't remember how he said it

But make him say it LOL

I had a note in our program asking guests to be present and not to take pictures during the ceremony and the officiant made an announcement at the start. And I didn't have a single cellphone in front of a face in any of my photos

We had a little note about it being unplugged on our program and our website. Our officiant also made an announcement. Everyone obliged, and it went perfectly.

I didn't bother with signs.

Your officiant can make an announcement before the ceremony begins - that's what mine did. All the guests complied. One person was unhappy about that (a friend of H), but after the fact she told him she understood and respected our decision. Not that I cared about her feelings though.

Agree with GymRat: Have the officiant make the announcement, that's what I am doing. Not everyone will see or comply with a sign but if an announcement is made and someone whips out a phone, they will get told to put it away or at least get some serious side eye.

I'm doing the same. Having my officiant make an announcement.

I've never heard of an unplugged ceremony, but I love the idea.

My officiant walked up and did a quick welcome blah blah blah this is a cell phone free ceremony etc etc. It was helpful because they indicated to us to get ready.

Thanks everyone for the advice! My FH was concerned that guests would be mad at us for making this request, but with such a positive response, I definitely think we're going to have the officiant make an announcement.

If they want photos that bad, the photographer will happily sell them what they want

We are having the officiant announce it before the ceremony starts

Pretty much all my couples request this now, and if they haven't by the day of the wedding, the DJ and the venues suggest it.

Have your officiant announce it, make a sign, put it on your website, have your ushers let people know.

We will have our officiant announce this. I have one photographer, I am not going to have crap shots because people want to have their phones out.

My preacher is saying that right at the beginning of our ceremony

We had a note on the program and prior to the wedding (since it was a dw) we sent a small packet of info that also included it being an unplugged wedding. In our welcome gifts to people we provided reminders of the unplugged wedding. We wanted no pictures taken by guests because it was a dw and there were several people that could not be there. We were doing an addition reception back home where prior to us being introduced we were doing a slideshow of the wedding pictures so everyone could see them for the first time. So am unplugged wedding was extremely important to us.

Have the MC/DJ/Officiant announce it. People have gotten used to hearing that at movie theaters and will likely comply. Ex. "Please turn off your cell phones and refrain from taking photos during the ceremony we have professional photographers that will make sure to get all of the shots and the photos will be available soon for all of you to see. Thank you." I heard something akin to this during the last wedding I went to. Most everyone who had a cell phone out put it away and no one seemed disgruntled about it.