When should the officiant announce Unplugged Ceremony?

You do not need to announce it and have it on your website and have a sign. I think a sign is plenty or announcing it, but choose one

If you want them to announce it, I'd have them say it right before the processional starts and people start walking out. I'd have them say something funny/nice like "the bride & groom want to make sure their photographer gets pictures of your face, not your smart phone!".

View Quoted Comment Haha I wish that would work, but both of our families are rather thick-headed so we're going to go with both 😂

Our friends who got married last August had their pastor announce about 5 minutes before the wedding started that the bride and groom ask that we turn all cellphones off and put cameras away as they have excellent photographers who are working to capture their beautiful day.

It worked. Once the pastor said that you started seeing people reach down to their purse to put stuff in there or to turn off their phones haha.

Yes i agree to have the officiant say something right away you may have a sea of phones in your photos!! I am not trying to be a downer but if your family is as thick headed as you say they may still snap away.

I imagine that a reminder in the few moments before the processional begins would be helpful for late arrivals and forgetful guests to silence and put away their cell phones. Something as straightforward like the reminders at the movies, "The Bride and Groom kindly request that all guests silence and put away their cameras and cellular devices for the remainder of the ceremony," should be a sufficient message. Best of luck!

We have a sign too, and we are going to have our officiant announce it before the processional starts.