Tuesday, July 23, 2013

The unplugged wedding: couples tell guests to put down their devices

"I invite you to be truly present at this special time. Please, turn off your cell phones and put down your cameras. The photographer will capture how this moment looks — I encourage you all to capture how it feels with your hearts, without the distraction of technology."

"We want you to be able to really enjoy our wedding day, feeling truly present and in the moment with us. We've hired an amazing wedding photographer named _________ who will be capturing the way the wedding looks — and we're inviting each of you to sit back, relax, and just enjoy how the wedding feels. We're respectfully asking that everyone consider leaving all cameras and cell phones off. Of course we will happy to share our wedding photos with you afterward!"

Wedding photos: When snap-happy guests go too far

"Some couples are asking guests to "unplug" and put away their cameras and phones altogether." for the ceremony and for the formals afterwards, but allowing their guests to snap away at the reception.

"Couples choose unplugged weddings not just to ensure the quality of professional images. They also do it to keep guests engaged and focused on the ceremony itself."

"Before the procession, the officiant read a note asking guests to refrain from taking pictures. Much to the couple's delight, it produced the desired results. People laughed at inside jokes written into the ceremony and the images came out without a single photo-bombing relative."

When more than one person is taking pictures of the wedding party, eyes go all over the place, extraneous flashes can affect the professional photographer's images and it can be difficult to get images without guests in the way.

"When guests plant themselves right in front of the couple, there's only so much a photographer can do to get around them, Balazowich said. She was able to go to the sides to crop him out of most pictures but for the kiss, but "the center shot is the one people want," she said." http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/28/living/wedding-photography-unplugged/?iref=obnetwork
"So there you are at the altar, gazing into the eyes of your beloved, saying your vows. You turn to sneak a glance at your wedding guests, all your favorite beloved friends and family… and are greeted by a sea of down-turned faces staring at their LCD screens. When your photos come back from your wedding photographer, all your guest shots include your favorite people staring at their favorite devices. People are smiling, but they're all staring at little screens. Welcome to the era of the over-documented wedding, where, even if you've hired someone to take photos, every guest has a camera and an iPhone and is tweeting the whole event. They're there with you, but are they really present?"
"I'd rather people simply watched and clapped and smiled and cried — and really listened and remembered, not from the photos they downloaded onto their computers, but from their own memories."
Prior to the ceremony, the officiant read this, “Welcome, friends and family! Good evening everyone. Please be seated. Dan and Jennifer invite you to be truly present at this special time. Please, turn off your cell phones and put down your cameras. The photographer will capture how this moment looks — I encourage you all to capture how it feels with your hearts, without the distraction of technology. If Dan can do it, then so can you.” I can’t tell you how many happy leaps of joy my heart did when reading this!!! The guests all obeyed and even after the ceremony many decided to keep their arms down and their hearts open and enjoyed the day instead of being an observer from behind their cameras. http://coreyann.com/blog/corey-talks/corey-talks-why-you-should-have-an-unplugged-wedding
see images ruined by guest cameras: http://coreyann.com/blog/corey-talks/corey-talks-why-you-should-have-an-unplugged-wedding, perhaps it will make you think twice before you snap away...
"Thanks for this completely honest review of ruined images by wedding guests interfering with paid photographers. Most are done innocently without knowing the consequences, but great advice!"