Guests and their phones during weddings

I think its rude anyone would do this anyway but im not anticipating it being a huge issue with us, were not a techo-centric family and I cant think of a single person we are inviting that is the 'photograph everything' type... still might for safety have it mentioned before hand

my biggest worry is the reception, thats when people are more likely to start taking photos as everyone starts dancing/drinking etc... but my 3 bridesmaids have an AMAZING ability to take the world most unflattering photos of me and then they post them all over facebook - I dont want to look back at my wedding and think 'god did I really look like a sweaty hippo' ?

I'm not anticiptating the phone situation to be like that at all during the ceremony- although how awful if it was! Your photographer couldn't exactly shout for people to move while you're walking down the aisle.

I think we might pop something on the front of the order of service and I know our priest will probably ask for phones to be kept in bags during the ceremony- I would listen to him 'cause he's very strict!

This is the only time I don't want photos taken by guests.

I don't know why guests would kick up a fuss- they're bloody rude if they do.

Ah I've been thinking about the same thing! I'm probably going to have a sign at the front entrance and ask the registrar to announce that no photography is allowed. I care less about phones being out and photos being taken during everything else, but the ceremony is one of those moments that could be ruined by a mass of iPhones... As your photo points out!

We will have a sign at the entrance asking our guests not to take photos during the ceremony, and our celebrant will say something about it being an unplugged wedding at the beginning.

Look up unplugged wedding on Pinterest or Google Images and you'll find lots of ways to get your point across.

This is an interesting topic. I also would be really upset to have a photo like the one above.

I am in the camp of no photos and have no idea how you would say that to guests without seeming bossy or stuck up. I was invited to a wedding and when the evening guests arrived and weren't seeing the dress for the first time as it had been all over Facebook all day the bride was really upset, I really felt for her.

Another friend of mine who got married said if she wanted other people to see her wedding and be part of her day she would have invited them so no need to put photos on Facebook for acquaintances to see/ be nosy.

Every church wedding I have been to the priest/ vicar has informed guest that there are no photographs allowed and I have never seen anyone not follow the rules.

I have also been to another wedding where the photographer made an announcement asking people not to take photos as the flash from other cameras/phones will ruin his photos. This seemed like a logical reason to me and again no one seemed to object to that. Not sure if this was true or a plausible excuse made up by the couple and photographer.

There are quite a lot of images on Pinterest with ideas of how to tell people no camera/photos. I have just seen a page with a chalk board which states, 'Please respect this intimate moment by not posting pictures on social media, Thanks' Which I think is an inoffensive way of informing guest of your wishes not to put photos on line.

If you are relying on guest pics for the evening then you could possibly say no photos during the ceremony and breakfast but photos are allowed after that? that would prevent a photo like the one above of camera phones covering faces during the important bits.

Maybe you could set up a website and asks guests to post on there instead of instagram/facebook/ twitter and then you will have all guest pictures in one place which would be nice.

I would be tempted to find a better photo of groom watching bride walk in. Attach a copy of that and this PIC and send it to guests saying I would like pics of this not that! Your photos will be appreciated at the reception (or whenever suits you) but please keep your phones in your pockets during the service. Sometimes a visual of why you're asking makes the penny drop more.

I think we're leaning towards asking guests to not take photo's during the ceremony using mobile phones etc, we will ask the registrar tell people this or I will ask ushers to make sure everyone is aware as they arrive.

After the ceremony I think we would be fine with people taking photos on phones etc, but ask people to have a social media 'blackout' until the day after, just so anyone that may be coming in the evening, doesn't get a glimpse of us or the wedding until they are there!

This for us seems like a nice compromise!

Its called a "Unplugged Ceremony" and is what im doing. I showed the article to my Fusband and discovered is was something we both felt strongly very about.

I have put on the invites that the Ceremony is Unplugged (and have put and explanation of what this means) but that they are welcome, even encouraged, to take pictures before and after the Ceremony.
I have set up a Facebook Event for the wedding and have again put the info
And every time I see people I mention it.
Plus I will be asking the registrar to announce before the Ceremony begins.

I think if I see one person taking a picture as I walk down the Isle I might go a little bridezilla on them lol!

Edit: Oh Yeah and I've got a A0 (huge) Sign that we will put up by the entrance and I will have the Usher tell people on the day too!

We're putting a note on the order of service and asking the vicar to mention it before I arrive. I don't think you need anything more than that, as most people should be quite respectful unless you know someone who is likely to flaunt the rules? We're quite lucky in that our venue is in rural Norfolk so there is little to no signal for people to upload photos. Looks like they'll have to wait until they get home ?

Has a I am obviously in the minority but I want people to take pictures of me walking down the aisle! My church only allows the photographer to stand at the back so if my guests don't take any of me there won't really be any!

Unless your photographer is rubbish you won't end up with a photo like the above, it's just poor photography, but that doesn't change how you will feel seeing a sea of cameras as you walk down.

the only advice I would give is if you say to guests not to take photos during the ceremony, say "ceremony including the procession" because when I was at a wedding a couple of weeks ago, we were asked not to take pictures of the ceremony but this did not include the bride walking down the aisle. Likewise my church will not allow flash photos "during the ceremony" but does allow pictures of the bride entering and the couple leaving.

I think with Facebook you have to just be explicit. I don't think guests who put pictures up are in the wrong if they haven't been told not to, but I don't see why anyone would be offended to be asked not to put pictures of the couple on facebook. Obviously it's a bit harder to tell people they can't put pictures up of themselves at the wedding but as long as the pictures are not of the bride & groom that shouldnt cause any problems.

I'm confused, I thought that you aren't allowed to take photos during a civil ceremony? Both civil weddings I've been to recently, the registrar announced no phones before the bride walked in. Is that not the case?

No idea.. we only booked last week so no idea of the formalities yet just seen the pic and wanted to ask xx

I'm putting a note on our 'information' sheet asking that photographs are not taken during the ceremony- words to the effect of 'We respectfully request that only the official photographer and videographer take images during the ceremony- after all we are paying them enough!!'

After that we aren't too bothered, and as I have no doubt I'll end up shoving loads of photos on Facebook, I'm not too worried if others tag me in photos on there.

I went to a wedding where the registrar announced before the ceremony that no photos were allowed during the ceremony but that guests would be invited up afterwards to take photos of the bride and groom "signing" the register. She also asked that no photos were uploaded to social media until the day after the wedding. I think I will ask the registrar to ask people not to take photos during the ceremony. I'm not fussed if people upload photos throughout the day x

Most people comply with requests on the wedding day, because most people don't want to upset the bride.

I thought about it, and if we did ban it, we'd have put a sign at the church entrance. We decided against it especially as my brother-in-law is a keen photographer and I didn't mind him using his camera so long as he stayed out of the way of our contracted photographer. Plus, I've been active on Facebook for over 10 years, and we didn't have evening guests.

It's personal preference. I wouldn't take a photo on my phone in a church anyway, and in any event, I wouldn't if I was told that bride/groom didn't want me to. I would be a bit peeved being told over and over again though.

Hi Lepetitchateau!

Phones aren't too much of an issue as people are considerate enough most times. But during the ceremony it can be a real problem.

Educating your guests by proxy is the best approach.

Use your wedding website or facebook and use that photo as an example. Also, I always tell my couples to post my mug across their social media with a rider that says they can ask me for any photos they like throughout the day. Weirdly, people seem to forget there is going to be a photographer there.

Also, have the groomsmen and ushers ask your guests on the day not to take photos during the ceremony and entrance / exit. They're your guests, they love you and don't realise the problems their eagerness to experience your wedding through their phones is going to cause them, you and your photographer / videographer on the day.

They genuinely don't have a clue and people do this out of habit a lot of the time, just like how 6 people at one table will start recording the speeches then stop halfway through. I mean why do it at all right?

When people are just using their eyes it's a beautiful thing and it's a night and day difference in the resulting images.

Other tips for photos during this time is to try and limit everyones speed (some BM's just cascade down the aisle at speed) and make sure your man kisses you and does it real good. If he doesn't, YOU DO IT.

People don't kiss like they mean it anymore, or do it so quickly it's hard to catch with the camera.

We are definitely having an unplugged ceremony and I personally am leaning towards an entirely unplugged day. But we still have to discuss the latter, so for now it's unplugged ceremony (and also the ceremony will be adults only).

I read this article too when it cropped up on Facebook and it really worried me and my OH! We found a fantastic photographer, and also just have her up until the reception.

We made our own invitations and they are quite jokey so we got round the awkwardness by adding in information about photography. in the Ceremony information we wrote something along the lines of 'No photography during the ceremony, but don't worry we have a professional photographer to catch us all looking our best' and then in the reception section we wrote 'We encourage you to take lots of photographs and share them to your hearts content.'

Hopefully it will work!

Loving your advice about the kiss Chris!

I always thought the registrar / vicar said before the bride arrived that photos aren't permitted in the ceremony until instructed, but I might ask them to reiterate that point on the day. Don't mind what photos are taken / shared after that point, but this photo above is awful!

We're opting for an 'unplugged' ceremony also, as I don't want aload of cameras and phones in my pictures, only for the ceremony though.

We'll be putting a sign up on an easel noting that its 'unplugged', a note at the bottom of our order of service and our Officiant will be delivering a 'housekeeping' notification before the bridal procession! So fingers crossed everyone pays attention.

I'm glad I came across this post. I think we will get the celebrant to announce that no photos to be taken during the ceremony. Also thinking of putting a note of some sort in with the invites asking guests not to post any pictures they have from after the ceremony until the following day. We are planning on a photobooth and we get the memory stick with all the pics from it as well as the guests getting a copy of the pictures there and then so we want to post pics of our big day online first xx

We're putting a chalkboard sign at the entrance to where our ceremony is taking place just saying "please turn off your phones, no photos during the ceremony". Also put it on our wedding website as a special request.

I thought about having the whole wedding unplugged but I don't want guests to feel too restricted. The ceremony is the bit where I think it really matters and if you ask people not to have their phones out I'm sure they'll respect your wishes

I want people to take pictures - I love a wedding selfie - but not during the ceremony. We will put a note in the order of service and ask the pastor to remind people. We are also asking people not to put pictures on social media until I do - that way we can keep everything a surprise for the evening guests.

Our photographer looks amazing but it's the random shots of friends and family having a carry on that might get missed that I really want to see.

We are going to ask that no photos are taken on phones during the ceremony (the vicar actually already told us that she doesn't want any as well so will announce it) but then have a note on the order of service at the church and a sign at the hall to say that we don't want phones out until the reception starts - when we really don't mind so much.

Everyone is so connected nowadays, I like the idea of being unplugged for one day!

My vicar had already said she asks guests to put phones away before the bride arrives as she wants them to focus on the wedding and not how many photos they are taking x
I don't see a problem with asking them to keep phones in bag/pockets during the ceremony. I've been to a few where we haven't been allowed to take pictures during the ceremony x