Unplugged weddings - what's all the fuss about?
Technology and your wedding - things to think about.
The case for the unplugged wedding:
Sometimes the unplugged version of something is better than the plugged version. (Is it too early to be nostalgic about the 90s?)
You might like to consider having an unplugged wedding - where your guests check their smart phones and ipads at the door, and relax totally (and be really present) - trusting that we'll get the shot and nothing will go undocumented!
We live in an age where people experience life from behind a lens - be it a big DSLR or a little smartphone. Everyone wants to capture your amazing day. The only problem is - when you've got 100 photographers at a 100 person event, your professional shots can be compromised.
If your uncle with the huge camera is getting an awesome shot - there's a good chance that he's in the corner of our awesome shot (or we're in the corner of his shot!). Plus, you can't see his wonderful smile if his face is partially obscured/ he's doing a weird camera squint.
Most importantly though, if you're always looking for the next photo opportunity, you're not properly enjoying yourself! Let us do all the hard work!
Okay, I'm sold on this unplugging. Now what?
Well, you can let people know your wishes a few ways - the easiest is to ask the celebrant to ask that people put their cameras and phones away during your ceremony. People might be nervous that we'll miss something, or that they won't be able to see the shots - but we've got nifty online galleries that you can share with them (if you want!) where they can download images and share them on social media.
Send them a link to this article, (and if they still don't get it you can always hire security to frisk them at the door and confiscate all unauthorised devices).
The case for letting your guests (and their smartphones) roam free:
Okay, so the other half of the story is this: people are addicted to documenting everything. And that's actually not all bad.
Shots people take on their phones are normally pretty dodgy, but they're real, and they're funny, and they can be part of the story too. If you've ever felt #blessed while eating #paleo #cakeoftheday and cuddling one of the many #catsofinstagram, you may agree that an instagram hashtag can be a nice way of bringing all these stories together.
If you do want to take this option, perhaps ask that people refrain from shooting during your ceremony, and any other part of the day where it will be important that your professional shots are uninterrupted (like the cake cutting for example - especially if your venue is small).
