This post was originally written for the Central Queensland Weddings blog, if you're looking for wedding inspiration or advice tailored to our beautiful region please pop on over and have a look.
If you’re a bride or groom and haven’t heard of the ‘unplugged’ concept, this means asking guests to turn off their cameras and mobile devices for a period of time at your wedding – be it just the ceremony or the whole celebration.
In an age where our phones have become an extension of our fingertips, it can be hard to switch off and just enjoy the moment.
Doing so encourages your guests to be truly present as you say ‘I do’ and embrace the emotion of your nuptials without the distraction of technology.
This also allows your photographer to do their job uninterrupted, ensuring the most important moments of your day are captured without guests interfering or obstructing the professional images.
So what’s the key to having an unplugged wedding without causing offense? Asking politely and clearly ahead of time so your guests are aware of your wishes, whatever they may be.
This can be done by making a note of the request with your invitations, placing a sign at the venue entrance and arranging for your celebrant to make an announcement before the ceremony commences.
Your guests will be understandably excited to see you get married and most likely just want a visual memento of the occasion, so it may be a nice compromise to allow photos at certain intervals throughout the day.
In this case, have your celebrant or MC ask guests to wait while the photographer captures each formality first, then open an invitation for anyone else wanting to take photos once they have finished.
Whether you opt for a completely unplugged wedding, only an unplugged ceremony or simply ask guests to refrain from posting on social media until the first professional images have been released, most guests will happily oblige.
Ultimately, it is your special day and the decision is completely up to you!
