The Pros and Cons of an "Unplugged" Wedding

We have all seen it happen, the wedding guest that leans over into the aisle way as the door opens and the bride makes her way to her new husband… all the while, completely ruining the shot for the photographer, you know, the one that the couple professionally hired to take pictures. More and more couples are opting for an ‘unplugged’ ceremony- where guests are asked to turn off their cell phones and refrain from taking any pictures. Through my 2 years of wedding planning, I would say about half of my brides choose to do an unplugged ceremony, while half choose to let guests be. Here are what I have learned are the pros and cons of having an unplugged ceremony!

The Cons of an unplugged ceremony

-you have to wait for the professional pictures before you see any pictures from your wedding

-family and friends who were not able to attend the wedding will also have to wait for you to post professional pictures

-guests inevitably won’t listen and will take out their cell phones anyways

The Pros of an Unplugged Ceremony

-the most obvious pro- you don’t run the risk of guests interfering with your photographers shot

-your guests will be ‘in the moment’ with you

-the first pictures of you in your dress won’t be posted by Great Aunt Susie with her finger over half the lens, but one you choose to post from your photographer

-their won’t be a sea of cell phones in the background of your ceremony processional/recessional pictures

Whether you choose to do an unplugged ceremony or not, I hope these pros and cons help make the decision easier! For more ceremony tips, check out the 5 Most Important Ceremony Details to Consider and our Pinterest Page full of Ceremony Backdrop Inspiration!