The case for the "unplugged" ceremony
You’re about to enter your wedding ceremony for the processional... The excitement! The anticipation… All the planning that has happened to make this moment happen. The doors swing wide so you can go down the aisle, and what do you see? All your loved ones’ faces happily beaming back at you?
No.
A hundred phone or tablet screens in your face.
I have read numerous articles over the year about doing “unplugged” weddings and I have refrained from adding my voice to the mix, because, hey, it’s your wedding, do what you want! But maybe you haven’t heard of an unplugged wedding before or why you should consider it.
So, an unplugged ceremony is pretty straight-forward - having all your guests put away their devices (even better, turn off their devices) for the duration of the ceremony - from the processional (when everyone walks in) through to the recessional. You can do this by having the officiant tell the guests right before the ceremony begins (before any of the wedding participants starting walking down the aisle) - that the couple prefers an unplugged ceremony so that their guests will be more fully present for these moments.
I am there - your videographer (if you have one) is there - to preserve all these moments for you and your guests so that they can remember them for years to come! And your friends and family should be able to enjoy your ceremony and the celebration of your marriage. I also find that once the guests have been given the gift of relaxing and not documenting your wedding day, they often keep their phones put away (mostly) for the rest of the day.
Don’t worry - if you choose not to do the unplugged ceremony, I have become an expert at dodging around people stepping into the aisle to grab their perfect shot. But just another wedding tip worth considering!
I love that Carissa and Morgan chose to do an unplugged ceremony and even had a sign that the guests would see as they were sitting down asking them to put away their phones.
Looking for more wedding planning tips? Check out these blog posts!