How many times have you gone to a wedding and used your cell phone at some point in time to either take pictures, post pictures to social media sites, made a video, or used a unique hash tag with the couples name or date in it?
How many times have you gone to a wedding and did nothing of the sort?
Couples have been into "supercharging" their weddings and making them accessible from anywhere at any point in time. They want others to see them walk down the aisle, or getting ready, or having their first dance while it's happening. But there are a new set of couples who are doing the polar opposite.
Even we here at AMH are guilty of encouraging guests and loved ones to Tweet or post photos to our Facebook so their guests unable to attend can follow along with the big day. It also gives other brides we work with an ability to see our work live before their eyes. And while we had never seen an issue with it before, couples who are asking their guests to "unplug" are really making us think about how much we spoil being present in the moment just to get that first picture, or video, or hash tag.
Take a look at why "Unplugging" from weddings may very well be the #1 Trend for 2014
1. Live In The Moment
While photos and videos of important staples in your life are a must have for memories you cannot let them cloud the actual event. When you get married the majority of couples while hire people (usually people they have no personal association with) to capture those special moments for them. So as a guest, let the pros do their jobs and be present in the moment. Don't watch your daughters first kiss through a camera. Appreciate being there, surrounded by the love and support of this couple, and soak up every moment. Want that staple picture? Ask the couple for it when the photographer is finished editing! You will be much happier in the end.
2. Don't Spoil the Little Things
Because our society is so technologically driven, many people have their phones or other electronic devices glued to their hands. And with such quick access to mass media our ability to take a picture and share it with hundreds can happen in the blink of an eye. There are so many special moments that couples (and of course women in particular) dream about with their wedding. One of those moments being the first time your soon-to-be husband sees you walking down the aisle in your wedding dress. But what happens when you snap a picture of the bride in her dress, upload to a social media site, and the groom sees it before she walks down the aisle? Not only does it ruin a very special moment, but it takes away the uniqueness and tradition that comes along with it.
Moral of the story? If you MUST take pictures make sure you're aware of who is in them, where you post them, and when they go up on sites. Some people want to be surprised!
3. Don't Get in the Way
Having talked to a lot of photographers about having an "unplugged" wedding I was shocked at the answers I received. Many photographers and videographers encourage couples to post signs or make notes about cell phones and other devices being put away during the wedding. Many of my photographer friends have had serious issues that hinder their pictures of important moments. Why? Because guests (unknowingly I will say) step right in front of them and block the image, or use a flash setting that is un-editable after the fact, or actually shove, push, or are rude to the photographer you are paying serious bucks for to capture a better image. Take a look at what could happen to you:
Moral of the story? Try going "unplugged" at your next wedding and see what the difference is. And if you are getting married in the future, think about the impact of technology on your big day.
With love,
AMH
