Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, so you should make sure it’s everything you want it to be. Our wedding planners in Lancashire can support you on this exciting adventure! In this blog, we’re looking at planning an unplugged wedding.
What is an unplugged wedding?
Phones and technology are great, right? But where weddings are concerned, there can be a time and a place. This is why many couples are choosing to have unplugged weddings.
An unplugged wedding is where guests are discouraged from using their own mobile devices to take photos and refrain from posting photos online. This might sound quite strict to some, but there are many reasons why couples prefer to do things this way.
Some couples may have their entire wedding day unplugged. In contrast, others may choose certain aspects of the day, such as a phone-free ceremony. Every detail of your wedding day should be decided upon by you and your partner; after all, it’s your special day!
The thought of telling guests not to use their phones can feel a bit awkward, but it really doesn’t need to be. Our wedding planners in Manchester have come up with some handy tips for letting your wedding guests know.
Unplugged wedding ceremony
One of the most common times to have an unplugged moment is during the wedding ceremony. This is an incredibly special time, and you’ll want it to run smoothly.
If you have just the ceremony unplugged, it might be a good idea to have a sign outside the venue. Additionally, you could ask the person marrying you to mention it at the beginning of the unplugged wedding ceremony.
Unplugged reception
This is where the wedding party starts, so you can understand why people may feel more relaxed and wish to use their phones a little more. This may be fine for you, or you might prefer to ask your guests to refrain from taking photos all day.
Why you should have an unplugged wedding
There are so many reasons why more couples are choosing to have an unplugged ceremony and reception, and they can actually make a wedding day more exciting. Of course, it’s entirely up to you and what feels right for your big day.
Being fully present in the moment
With so much technology, it’s easy to find yourself not living in the moment. One minute you’re enjoying something, and the next, you find yourself distracted by phones and cameras and experiencing the world through them.
Removing phones altogether means guests can enjoy being in the moment rather than capturing it. Your guests can enjoy the wedding ceremony and reception without being distracted by their phones or trying to get a great shot.
More excitement for photos
Waiting for the beautiful images to be shared by you and your partner can bring even more excitement after the wedding!
There are so many exciting ways that you can share your wedding photos. Perhaps you’ll choose a photo album or an online wedding website gallery or post them straight to social media. Social media allows you to create your own wedding hashtag where all the professional photos can be found in the same place.
One of the main reasons couples choose to have an unplugged wedding is to have more control over the photos being shared and where they are being shared. If you can share them first, you can select your favourites rather than having others do that for you.
You’ll have a photographer
This one is so important. If you haven’t booked a professional photographer yet for your wedding, you need to! A professional photographer will have experience capturing all the special moments for you.
We recommend compiling a list of photos you know you want to capture so that your photographer is aware. Some couples also choose to hire a videographer. Having a videographer means your guests can experience the big day whenever they want.
Not obstructing the professional photography
Your photographer will likely have years of experience attending weddings and getting the perfect shots. That means your guests don’t need to try and get them too! With guests taking pictures, they may end up obstructing the photographer and spoiling their shots, which is definitely not what you want.
Photographers often try extremely hard to keep guests organised for various group shots. You’ll probably find them getting into tiny spaces just to get you the best professional photos. The last thing you want is the shoulders of friends and family in every photo.
When it comes to photos, it really is best to leave it to the experts! It’s unlikely that your guests will have high-quality cameras to take photos on.
How to inform guests of an unplugged wedding
So you’ve decided to have an unplugged wedding, so how do you ask your guests to refrain from taking pictures? We know it might be tricky to tell guests if you’re planning an unplugged wedding, but there are many options to consider for letting them know.
Invitations
One of the first ways to make guests aware of your no-phone rule is through wedding invitations. For example, you could mention the words ‘unplugged wedding’ or make it super obvious and say, ‘please turn off your devices during the wedding. The photographer will capture every moment for us.’
Guests shouldn’t have a problem with this and should be happy that they can share your special day with you. Guests not taking photos allows them to relax a little more too.
Wedding Boards
When it gets to your big day, the unplugged wedding invite may be a distant memory, so some couples use wedding boards to get their message across. These boards can be used at the entrance to your venue, highlighting again that guests should only use their mobile phones for emergencies.
Some couples use multiple boards throughout the venue so that guests are constantly reminded. It’s up to you how you choose to position these messages. Wedding boards can also be useful for outlining your wedding timeline.
Wedding announcement
If you’d prefer not to have boards throughout your venue, it’s a good idea to ask the person marrying you to announce the unplugged wedding plan. This gives all guests a gentle reminder of your wishes before the ceremony begins. It also reduces the risk of people not seeing wedding boards throughout the venue.
If you’d like guests to have some input, you could allow them to take their own photos during certain times, such as the first kiss, cake cutting, first dance and the bride and groom after the ceremony. You could also hire a photo booth, so guests have other aspects to look forward to.
Planning an unplugged wedding
Planning an unplugged wedding is exciting and means you can spend more time building an intimate connection with your wedding guests. Our party planners in Lancashire can support you with all aspects of your big day, including venue decoration, logistics and planning.
We hope this article has been helpful for planning an unplugged wedding. It’s time to put your phone down and start organising. If you need any support, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team. We’re always happy to offer advice.
We love a challenge, so if you have plans that you haven’t seen on our website or social media, let us know, and we can bring your ideas to life.
