Drew Cason Photography

This is a hot topic on social media right now. Photographers are hastily sharing posts about “unplugged weddings” … have you seen them? We asked our Facebook followers and vendor friends to comment on this hot-button issue during our Reader’s Choice survey. Here’s what you had to say:

“I tried it! I had a phrase at the bottom of my programs and had repeatedly verbally encouraged guests not to take pictures during the wedding, but to just enjoy the day. I wish I had provided a phone check at the door since someone’s phone showed up in a good chunk of the pictures of everyone walking down the aisle! And there was nothing the wonderful Whitney Bower Imaging could do about it. Luckily the phone was off to the side of the pictures and not right in the middle.” ­­— Maegan Nunley | Bride

Michele Graves Photography

“There is nothing that ruins a photo in a dark church — or anywhere else — than wedding guests holding up (or even standing up) with their big, glowing screens. I once missed the big kiss during a ceremony because someone stuck his iPhone in the middle of the aisle just as the kiss happened. The same goes for first dances. Again, dark reception, glowing screens…it just ruins the photos.” ­­— Karen Segrave | Photography by KES Weddings

“I absolutely LOVE unplugged ceremonies and would recommend them to every single bride! In today’s world, guests spend less and less time fully engaged in your wedding ceremony, and more and more time trying to document it themselves. Not only does this cause your guests to not be fully present in your big day, but it can also be a nuisance for the wedding professionals who were hired to document it all.” — Kati Mallory | Kati Mallory Photo + Design

“I can’t emphasize how wonderful and rewarding, in terms of your images, having an unplugged wedding can be. On a wedding day, I am essentially the eyes and hands of the brides when it comes to capturing every special moment. Competing with iPhones and iPads to get amazing images for the bride and groom is so very tough. Not only are your guests not truly present during your day, they are seeing the day through an electronic device, and your images are sometimes sacrificed in the process." ­­— Whitney Bower | Whitney Bower Imaging