Skip to main content

Post content has been hidden

To unblock this content, please click here

Ingrid
Super September 2018

What happens if you *dont* do an unplugged ceremony sign?

Ingrid, on August 2, 2018 at 4:32 PM

Posted in Wedding Ceremony 41

No offense to anyone who has these signs, but I just can’t find any way to incorporate “unplugged” without feeling tacky. If I don’t say it’s unplugged, are people really going to get out in the aisles like those horror stories circulating around Facebook? I just feel like surely my guests know...
No offense to anyone who has these signs, but I just can’t find any way to incorporate “unplugged” without feeling tacky. If I don’t say it’s unplugged, are people really going to get out in the aisles like those horror stories circulating around Facebook? I just feel like surely my guests know better than getting out in the aisles. I really don’t even care if people take photos during the ceremony. I just don’t want anyone blocking my view of hubby!
Please share your experience with incorporating or not incorporating an “unplugged ceremony” sign 😊

41 Comments

  • FutureMrsHaven
    Devoted September 2018
    FutureMrsHaven ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    My officiant suggested a “semi-unplugged” ceremony. At first I told her not to worry about it but she said she’s seen so many situations where guests get in the way of the photographers, holding up iPads, etc. She also mentioned when the photographer takes pictures of the guests it doesn’t look the nicest when everyone has their phones up haha we won’t be having a sign, she’s just nicely going to ask everyone to stay in their seats.
    • Reply
  • firstoneat56
    Master August 2017
    firstoneat56 ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    I didn’t have a sign and there was no issue. Our officiant asked everyone to silence their phones before the ceremony. Signs don’t really make s difference. People will do what they want to do.
    • Reply
  • Brittany
    Devoted October 2018
    Brittany ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    I'm asking the officiant to say something but we won't have a sign.
    • Reply
  • HayMrsO
    Master October 2018
    HayMrsO ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    We will not say anything.

    My first wedding I was adamant that no one had cameras out. I talked about it to everyone I could. Our officiant said it at the beginning of the ceremony. My parents neighbor ignored the requests and her camera was flashing away. She even caught a pic of me giving her the cut it out sign walking down the aisle. Well guess what?? NONE of our professional photographer pics turned out. They were awful. Damn how I wish I wouldn't have said anything to anyone. The only decent pics I had were the ones that were taken by guests.

    • Reply
  • K
    Devoted December 2018
    Kristy ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Our officiant is making an announcement a couple mins before I walk down to please take your seats, silence cell phones and stay out of the aisles. I forget the exact wording shes using
    • Reply
  • B
    Dedicated October 2018
    Brittney ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    I feel like this could be a know your crowd issue. I never thought we would need it until I witnessed a wedding in which FH's aunts and uncles were all standing and walking around trying to get pictures and videos on their phones. After that, we have decided to have the officiant ask people to put their phones away for the ceremony, but we aren't doing a sign.
    • Reply
  • M
    Dedicated October 2018
    Megan ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    We are having a sign made. I do not want to see devices in my pictures during the ceremony. Don’t care that much about the reception. Bridezilla moment, I told FH I would have a freak out if his sister and brother (they both always bring a camera and take a million pictures at any sort of gathering) tried taking pictures. I know seems like not that big of a deal in the scheme of things, but we are paying a pretty penny for our photographer and I trust her to do her job.
    • Reply
  • K
    Dedicated September 2018
    Kaitlyn ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    We’ve considered these..

    What happens if you *dont* do an unplugged ceremony sign? 1

    What happens if you *dont* do an unplugged ceremony sign? 2

    What happens if you *dont* do an unplugged ceremony sign? 3

    What happens if you *dont* do an unplugged ceremony sign? 4
    • Reply
  • DC Wife 10.27.18
    Master October 2018
    DC Wife 10.27.18 ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    Our officiant will make an announcement before we come down the aisle to avoid this in my very expensive professional pictures.

    Ugh!!!!What happens if you *dont* do an unplugged ceremony sign? 5Ugh no!!What happens if you *dont* do an unplugged ceremony sign? 6


    • Reply
  • Miranda
    Devoted October 2018
    Miranda ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Instead of a sign, I put it on my website FAQ page and asked the officiant to make an announcement. People will NOT decide to be polite on their own lol. At my brothers website someone sitting in the second row on the aisle FaceTimed the ceremony on an iPad... well you know on FaceTime the ppl watching show up on the screen so in ALL the down the aisle pictures of the ceremony there are two small disembodied heads floating in the aisle 😂😂😂 VERY off putting!!
    • Reply
  • Jennifer
    Master September 2018
    Jennifer ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    Two recent weddings I was at there were people with phones and even IPADs filming the entire ceremony and it seemed pretty rude to me. My best friend has photos with so many people with their phones in their hands & her mother with her IPAD out. We are going to have the officiant ask everyone to silence their phones and keep them out of the aisle. I am paying a bunch of money for a videographer and photographer and would rather not have everyone's phones up by their faces. I am not doing a sign, I don't think anyone will even notice if I do.

    • Reply
  • Kelly
    Dedicated June 2018
    Kelly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    We didn't have a sign that said unplugged ceremony we just had our officiant announce it when everyone was seated. I didn't notice anybody out in the aisle but I was so wrapped up and couldn't take my eyes off my husband. We haven't received our pro photo's back yet so we will see if everyone paid attention to the officiant's announcement.

    • Reply
  • Danielle K
    VIP June 2019
    Danielle K ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    We aren't having a sign (I am trying to avoid signs at all cost) but I am having my pastor announce that it is an unplugged ceremony and most importantly I am having a long talk with my mom, her sister, and his mom. I know they will be the problem and I want them to understand I mean business. lol I

    • Reply
  • Rachel
    VIP September 2018
    Rachel ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    I am adding it to our welcome sign and having our officiant announce it. I have been to a few weddings where people have been obnoxious with their phones. At FH's cousin's wedding, one guest was getting annoyed that the videographer was in the best spot to film and she sucked her teeth and hovered right next to him the whole time and tried really hard to get to the best spot first when the couple turned. FFIL and FMIL have a tendency to breakout their ipads for photos at family events. I am not taking chances...

    • Reply
  • BB-H
    VIP September 2018
    BB-H ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    We're not going to have an "unplugged" ceremony, but speaking with my family, I think they won't be an issue. I didn't directly say, "you can't do x, y, and z" but my cousin asked if it was alright if brought his nice camera to take pictures, because he's interested in photography. I told him as long as he wasn't in the way of our photographers, he could take as many pictures as he liked. He was very adamant that he would not get in their way and would probably just watch them from time to time. I know my aunt is probably going to record the ceremony on her phone, which I'm fine with, and I know that she won't get in the way of the cameras either.

    TLDR; I'm not having an unplugged ceremony, and my family will probably be taking video/pictures, but I've talked to them, or seen them at other gatherings, and know that they either won't get in the way, or other family will make sure they're not in the way.

    • Reply
  • stephanie
    Dedicated October 2018
    stephanie ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    I would just have the officiant to make an announcement before the ceremony begins.

    • Reply
  • Gipperkm
    Super September 2018
    Gipperkm ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    I've never been to a wedding with a sign or an announcement and it's never been an issue

    • Reply
  • futurmrslowe
    Super December 2018
    futurmrslowe ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    I was undecided on this before - I do think people should know how to behave! Then I attended a friend's wedding over memorial day weekend. She had no sign, no announcement, no program. FIRSTLY, I couldn't even see the ceremony because some guy in front of me had an iPad mini in the air the entire time. SECONDLY, whens he showed me all of her photo proofs -- some of the most gorgeous shots were RUINED because there were like 15 people with phones in the air!

    That made up my mind for me -- I am NOT having my photos ruined by people who aren't being paid to take the photos! I can totally see one of FH's aunts posting it all over FB.... Smiley smile

    • Reply
  • J
    Savvy October 2018
    Jessica ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    Honestly, I didn't think it was necessary, until I went to a small wedding (30 people, most over the age of 40). The bride arrived in a horse drawn carriage and EVERYONE (mostly older people who should know better) were getting out of their seats and taking pictures. They actually had to be ASKED to sit down so the bride could even walk down the aisle... they completely blocked the view of her FH seeing her as she got out! So yes, we are having an unplugged ceremony sign. What I'd really like mine to say is "Put your damn phone away!" But... I'm going with something nicer, just haven't decided on the exact wording yet. The friend this happened to has joked shes going to be our "bouncer" and take water gun and if anyone gets their phones out spray them with water and say "put your damn phone away" Shes not really going to do that, but it gave us a good laugh.


    They did have a sign at their wedding-- it didn't say unplugged, it just said to please not POST pictures on social media until they had shared their official pictures. I don't care of people share photos on social media... but don't take them during the ceremony!


    The way we are going to incorporate it- at the start of our aisle (outdoor wedding) we are going to have shutters with metal milk jugs in front of them, off to each side my dad has built two matching tables. One will have unplugged ceremony the other will have pick a seat not a side.

    • Reply
  • J
    Savvy October 2018
    Jessica ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    View Quoted Comment

    My FH has said he will stop the wedding and tell someone to put their phone away if they start taking pictures LOL

    • Reply

You voted for . Add a comment 👇

×
WeddingWire celebrates love ...and so does everyone on our site! Learn more

Groups

WeddingWire article topics