Are you unplugging your wedding?

I’ve talked in the past about social media and wedding planning, but what if you want to it all during your wedding? Some couples are happy to make Instagram hashtags and share their day over Facebook, while others want a less smartphone-heavy wedding day. But if you want an unplugged wedding, how do you ask your guests to comply?

It’s easier to request that your guests put phones away during the ceremony than during the reception, especially if you’re having a religious ceremony. Find wording you prefer and use it in multiple places. Your wedding website and signs at the ceremony are great places to start.

You also can ask your officiant make a statement at the beginning of the ceremony. You can say something like “[Couples names] thank you for attending their wedding. So that you will enjoy the ceremony as much as they have enjoyed planning it, they respectfully ask that all cell phones remain on silent and are put away for the ceremony.” Sure, you won’t get everyone to put their phones away, but the vast majority of your guests will be smiling at you, not looking at you through their smartphone screens!

Keeping everyone unplugged throughout the reception will be more difficult. People are used to having their phones out and taking pictures of everything, from their meals to selfies to their crazy dancing; while people who have children at home with babysitters will want to be able to stay in contact. Again, you can ask your DJ or members of the band to make an announcement requesting no smartphone use during the reception. But you may need to compromise a little here, depending on your guests.

You can request that family members leave the photography to your professional photographer during the special moments like cake cutting and first dances. While photographers are used to working around your guests, it will make their jobs easier if they’re not competing with phone camera flashes. It also means you’ll be able to see our guests’ faces in the pictures, instead of a host of phones!

 Are you trying to keep any part of your big day unplugged? Tell us in the comments!