An "unplugged" Wedding

We've seen a lot of wedding trends over the years, but I don't think I've ever noted one which we can so wholeheartedly endorse and encourage our couples to adopt, as the one that has begun to sprout up around the country in the last year. It's called the "unplugged" wedding and, basically, couples simply ask that guests and family members turn off all their electrical devices so that they are truly "present" as the couple starts the journey of their life together.

This photo is by the very talented Michael Smith of Ash Imagery, and the lack of point and shoot cameras, iPhones, and iPads is truly noticeable throughout the couples wedding photo gallery. As a wedding cinematographer, I can only imagine how lovely it must have been in post production not to have to fight all the random flashes and resulting corruption of the video which guests cameras can cause. And that's just the beginning. I can't tell you how many times I've been filming a bride coming down the aisle and Uncle Bob has stepped into the middle of the aisle to get the shot himself. Or how about when we're filming a first dance and Aunt Sue decides she needs a photo of the couple and stands two feet away from them to get a close up? It really happens. All. The. Dang. Time. Couples hire us because they want to have their wedding captured by professionals, so please embrace this trend and ask your guests to leave their cameras/phones/iPads (iPads, SERIOUSLY, they're so obtrusive they make me want to weep) at home. We've got you covered.

Just a few more thoughts on the subject... Our friend, photographer Shaun Saxon summed it up well with these words, "I think it improves the experience for guests (as they are fully present) and the couple (they see engaged guests, not phones/ipads/cams staring at them), plus it prevents disappointments from the couple when they see people and devices cluttering the frame or blocking views in their wedding photos and wedding film." Shaun went on to point out that most people are accustomed to turning off their cellphones and other electronic devices in movie theaters, at musical events and usually, in churches, so they would likely offer little resistance to a kindly worded request from the bride and groom.

The Offbeat Bride has blogged a couple of articles on wording for invitations and planning an unplugged wedding and we definitely encourage you to check out what advice they have to share on the subject here and here.