Unplugged ceremony and/or reception?

Plenty of people have unplugged ceremonies, but i've also seen a lot of brides on here who were grateful they did not because their guests caught a moment the pro photographer didn't.

Also, i don't think you'll be able to get away with having an unplugged ceremony AND reception. IMO, it's rude to tell adults not to be on their phones during the reception.

Personally I can't stand unplugged ceremonies and the whole "I want you to be present" thing. If you're in a church it's one thing to mention no flash photography because of the sanctity of the building, and I think it's ok to remind people to have their phones on silent. But just because my phone isn't out doesn't mean that 100% of my attention is on you. I could be thinking about my kids, the babysitter, what I'm going to drink at the reception, why you chose the decor you chose, looking at the bridesmaid's hair styles, etc. I completely understand that you don't want all these cell phones all over your pictures, but you can't tell people how to adult. I think it's the job of your photographer, who is a professional, to make sure to get the best shot they can. If that means they need to tell Uncle Bob to get out of the middle of the aisle, then they need to tell Uncle Bob to get out of the middle of the aisle. Also, people were taking pictures way before phones had cameras and we all survived. And it's true that a lot of people end up getting great pictures from their guests.

And I would say no way to an unplugged reception. You're not going to get people to actually follow that.

I have such awesome photos from our guests. Facebook live videos that I just can't stop watching....panoramic pictures of the room catching different expressions... My photographer has her work cut out. A majority of my favorite pictures thus far are from my guests. Including my profile picture my sister took with her cell.

I actually wish that I hadn't had an "unplugged" ceremony. Some of the best pictures of our day were from guests during the reception. We had a good photographer but, your guests will capture things that you and the photographer didn't think to. Just asking people to silence their phones is a far better option.

I couldn't care less if people are paying attention to the ceremony. I just don't want pictures of ppl holding up phones or cameras so that's why we're doing an unplugged ceremony. I wouldn't ask people to put them away for the reception...hell, I'll probably have mine out to snap some pics!

I'm having an unplugged ceremony because I don't want pictures like the one in this article.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bridal-guide/why-you-might-want-to-con_b_3331528.html

I mentioned the unplugged ceremony on my wedding website. The officiant is going to remind people to turn off their phones before the ceremony starts, but we also have this blurb in the bulletin.

"Special Request from the bride and groom:

No Pictures Please

We are honored that you are here today and invite you to be fully present with us during the ceremony. Two photographers and a videographer are covering the ceremony. We request that you please turn off your cameras and phones and refrain from photography during the entire ceremony. We promise that there will be plenty of images to be shared!"

You can have an unplugged ceremony sign or have your officiant make an announcement before the start of the wedding!

Edit** Same sentiments as Rachel.

I want an unplugged ceremony solely because of my pictures. My FMIL wedding pictures had aunts and uncles with big iPads almost in the aisle. I don't want my pro pictures to have a bunch of people with their phones and video cameras.

The whole paying attention thing.. I couldn't care less.

I have mixed feelings about unplugged ceremonies. On one hand, I'm big on having as many photos as I can from different people's perspectives, so I wouldn't have wanted an unplugged ceremony. On the other hand, professional photography is INSANELY expensive and I would hate for the shot of the doors opening for the first time to be ruined by Uncle Jeff in the aisle with his iPad. If I'd had a traditional ceremony with a pro photographer, I probably wouldn't have done unplugged.

MAMW....every wedding is a sacred experience, whether or not it's in a church building, and if you can't spare 20 minutes to be there mentally, without being on your phone, then don't go. Seriously. I don't think it's too much to ask for anyone to focus on a couple they theoretically care about, who has put months of time, effort and money into those moments, to actually pay attention to them. Adults do not know how to 'adult', which isn't a verb, by the way. We've all gotten to the point where being disconnected for a half hour is almost physically impossible, which is ridiculous. If it's that painful to be off line for those minutes, then don't go.

I don't really think it's a stretch to ask people to NOT take photos during the ceremony; that's why you hire a good photographer. I do think it's a losing battle to ask them to not photograph the reception. During the ceremony there is one focus. Is the photographer REALLY going to miss the first kiss? Not unless they suck. I really don't need fourteen people in the front rows jumping up to capture that so the rest of the audience can't see anything.

During the reception, there are lots of reunions, conversations; moments that people will want to capture, and I don't think it really diminishes the experience.

But for the ceremony? It's unplugged all the way as far as I'm concerned.

We're having a sign and the officiant will announce it for the ceremony.

I absolutely HATE that people can't be without their phones for more than 2 minutes.

We are having an unplugged ceremony. My photographer was visibly relieved when we told her. Unplugged reception seems a bit much but I don't think it's too much to ask for someone to not be on their phone for 30 minutes.

I'm doing an unplugged ceremony! Putting a sign up (bought from Etsy) so when people first walk into the ceremony area they can see that the ceremony is "unplugged." I'd say no to the unplugged reception because I think a lot of people would be in a big rip to leave and use their phones again. Plus it's a lot more distracting to have people using their phones at the ceremony than the reception.

Many people have unplugged ceremonies, but I think it's kind of rude , but that's just me.

@Celia, I respect that you disagree with me, but I didn't say that I couldn't not be on my phone. I don't sit on my phone at a wedding, because I do believe that is rude, whether it's in a church or any other venue. In regards to the church thing, I know that every wedding is a sacred act regardless of location, but not every building is sacred, if that makes sense, which is why I've always heard that it's usually in a church or other religious building where it is common to ask for no flash photography out of respect for the sanctity of the location.

I said that just because I wasn't on my phone doesn't mean that I'm going to 100% present because I have a mind and it has thoughts. I can disconnect from my phone, but not my mind. And if I have a babysitter, then my phone will be out, in case the babysitter needs to contact me. The OP asked for an opinion and that is my opinion. Anyone can have an unplugged ceremony if they want to, and I will respect that because it's the polite thing to do, but it doesn't mean that if a program mentions "being present" or an officiant nicely tells me that the couple wants me to "be present" that I won't roll my eyes.

It's not like you can actually enforce it. You can suggest it, but what are you going to do if your guests don't listen?

I'll be having an unplugged ceremony, but it seems a little unfair to have an unplugged reception.

Story time:

My aunt's wedding was a cluster fuck for lack of a better word (public park in the cold/wind, self catered, no alcohol, no time schedule)...

Anyways, she and her now XH didn't have much money so they asked me to photograph their wedding with my DSLR camera (I'm a hobbyist and never do portraits. I was so nervous about my photos not being great). I was guilted into it because if I didn't do it, there wouldn't be any wedding photos, or so I thought....

I didn't know that they were also allowing guests to use cellphones to take photos at the ceremony. There were lots of cell phones in all of the photos. Worst of all, during the first kiss half of his family jumped up to the altar and needless to say, there are heads and cell phones in the photos I took.

This is why I'm having an unplugged ceremony.

We are having an unplugged ceremony only. Reception is fair game for guests taking pictures. We have a sign asking guests to not take pictures during the ceremony and plan to have our minister remind everyone before we start.

I've always loved this sign. This is what I'm using. My best friend is a photographer and she had a wedding that she couldn't get the grooms face when he saw the bride because of cell phones

My friend had an unplugged ceremony. the officiant just announced it before it started.

I dont think we are going to be saying that at ours. but who knows, its 10 months from now. however an unplugged ceremony seems silly. Some of my favorite pictures of my friends and I are from some of our friends weddings. its fun to get reception shots together.