Planning and Unplugged wedding in Ireland
Thinking of getting your guests to ditch their phones for a day? Are you wondering what is the best way to get your wedding guests to put their phones away? Here’s everything you need to know about planning an unplugged wedding or an unplugged ceremony.
What is an unplugged wedding CEREMONY?
An unplugged wedding ceremony is a fancy American way of saying to your guests to switch off cameras, phones, ipads or any other electronic devices in their possession. Some couples opt for an unplugged ceremony only, while others prefer to limit the use of electronics all day.
What is the point of an unplugged wedding?
In an age when most of us are never more than a few minutes away from our next swipe, an unplugged wedding is a chance for guests to engage in your wedding without a screen being between you and them. It also is respectful of the couple’s privacy - not everyone likes to see their photo posted online.
What are the advantages of an unplugged wedding?
At an unplugged wedding, when you turn to look at your guests, you get to see their smiling, emotional faces, rather than the back of the latest iPhone. As a result there’s a greater sense of connection in the room. Secondly, if you’re camera shy, it can be fatiguing having cameras pointing at you all day.
It also means that the bulk of your photographs have been taken and curated by a professional so you can be sure that anything unflattering has been left out.
What do professional photographer’s think about it?
We’re all for unplugged weddings. Firstly, it makes it less likely that a guest will obstruct our shots – especially when it comes to key moments like walking up the aisle and the first kiss. Secondly, and most importantly, it means that you can see guests’ faces and reactions in the photographs. This makes for better candid photography.
Guests have a really important role - to support the couple. So clap and cheer and leave the pics to us.
Are there any downsides?
You won’t have all the guests’ photos to look at after the wedding. But depending on your perspective, this can be a positive thing.
While your professional photographer will spend time curating your gallery to remove unflattering images, your guests might not be so attentive. Will you really miss some blurry and unflattering photos where your eyes are closed?
How do I let my guests know?
There are a number of ways you can gently let your guests know. Firstly, you can mention it in your wedding invites, order of service, and, if you have one, your wedding website.
Your celebrant or minister will also be happy to make an announcement before the ceremony – they can explain what an unplugged wedding is and why you’re having one. You can also have a sign on display at the entrance to your ceremony.
A sign? Like a no-smoking sign but for phones?
Nooooooo. A nice, pleasant sign that gently asks people to put their phones away. Something along the lines of “Kindly turn off all phones and cameras and enjoy this moment with us” or “We want to see your smiling faces not your phones.” Or you can have fun with it by turning it into a bit of a joke, like these signs from our friends at Có Design Co.
Sometimes a bit of humour is the best way to get the message across.
Will guests be offended?
On the contrary, we find many guests react positively to it. Just make sure you explain the positive reasons as to why you’re having an unplugged wedding.
Of course, some won’t get the message and will have their phone out. Don’t be too hard on them.
It’s so much nicer to see a smile than a phone when you’re walking down the aisle.
Is there anything else we can do?
Yes! Share your gallery with people. The average wedding has over 100 guests but we find that, on average, couples only share their galleries with a dozen or so people. If your friends and family know they can access hundreds of professional photos afterwards, they’ll feel less motivated to use their phones.
The couple knew you were trouble when you walked in.