The Benefits of a Wedding Planning Journal: How it Can Help You Stay Focused and On Task
Have You Considered An Unplugged Ceremony?
It’s Monday morning and Martina Capodanno from Photo Stories is back to ask you another thought provoking question! If you missed her last 2 posts of the series then be sure to check out ‘Have You Considered A Real Engagement Shoot?‘ and ‘Have You Considered A First Look?‘ but today she’s asking have you considered an unplugged ceremony? Over to Martina to tell you why it’s definitely worth some thought…
It’s me again, with another super insightful and most definitely eye-opening 5-point list that will make you re-think everything you thought you knew about wedding planning.
Missed me? I know, I’ve been taking a modesty course. It’s not going very well.
Jokes aside, this is a topic I really care about, and unlike the other guest posts, I have been thinking about this one not only from the point of view of a wedding photographer, but also from the one of a potential-maybe-one-day bride.
Have you ever considered asking your guests to switch off all phones during your wedding ceremony? And by switch off I don’t really mean switch off (do people actually even do that any more?), I mean kindly ask them not to take pictures with their iPads, cameras and phones.
Why? Here are 5 reasons:
1. Usually people don’t like having pictures taken. I know I don’t.
If you are even a little bit like me, seeing dozens of flashes with the corner of your eye whilst you’re taking your vows is just going to distract you and make you feel uncomfortable.
If you also are on the bit paranoid/crazy like I am, you would also probably be thinking something like ‘Won’t the flash make me look blue? Are they going on instagram? Are people on facebook going to see photos of my vows before us?’. Point is, if you happen to get even remotely distracted by the clicking of many cameras, your thoughts probably won’t be positive. It’s just human.
And since we’re talking about social media…
2. You don’t want pictures of your wedding on facebook before the wedding is even over.
Trust me, you don’t. facebook, twitter, instagram etc. are NOT things you should be worried about on your wedding day. And yet they’ve become parts of our lives so intrinsically that sometimes we just can’t help but thinking about it. Now, instead of beating yourself up for worrying about your photos on facebook (oh my, will people get offended that I haven’t invited them?), why not eliminate the issue altogether by taking those pictures out of the picture?
3. Lots of people are so obsessed with documenting anything that’s happening to them that they forget to live it.
Have you ever gone on holiday and not taken one single picture for the whole duration of it? And if you have, did you notice how much more you were enjoying those moments?
You want your guests to be moved, happy, there for you. Not to be worried about missing the first kiss shot. You want to see people clapping and cheering when you turn to them, not a wall of technology flashing at you.
Now, when you came back from your unplugged holiday you probably had a bittersweet feeling of not having any image to remember the awesome time you had. Well, you wouldn’t need to worry about it when it comes to your wedding, because your photographer will have covered that, leaving you and your guests free to enjoy every single moment.
4. There’s no risk of someone’s flash ruining your official photos.
I am going back to my photographer shoes for this one (or am I?). I won’t lie, it’s happened quite a lot that an over-excited guess has stepped in front of me to capture a moment that was unique, quick and fleeting. Like the first kiss you share as a married couple. There’s no staging it, there’s no try-it-again, that was it. Only you have a poor phone picture of it rather than a professional photo to be proud of and frame up.
Sure, that guest can probably go and actually take an awesome photo, but are you willing to risk it? And also, isn’t that what you PAID your photographer to do?
Even if that guest does not move an inch and takes the picture from his spot, the flash of his camera can also ruin your photographer’s photo. If you think it’s too quick a moment for this to actually happen, think again. It does happen and quite often too. A flash from another camera will create ugly shadows on you and your surroundings. As well as messing up your photographer’s camera settings.
5. Your official photos won’t feature 10 pieces of technology for every other guests.
Your photos will be of you, your happy guests, your beautiful surrounding, smiles, tears (does it sound soppy? I ALWAYS cry a bit at weddings. Is it bad?). There won’t be an iPad in front of your sister’s face. Your confetti pictures will be of you, guests and confetti. Not of you, guests, their phone, and not many confetti (one can’t throw petals and take pictures at the same time).
Save the pictures for the party. Those you don’t want to miss!
We’d love to know what you think! Would you consider asking guests to switch off? Or are you happier letting them snap away to their hearts content??! Leave us a comment and let us know!
Much Bespoke Love
Jess x
Totally agree! Unplug your weddings people!
It must be so hard for photographers to get good shots where there isn’t at least a couple of phones being held up in front, not good !
Sometimes I see more phones than people…..a bit ridiculous!