It seems everyone these days is using their cell phones for everything: mapping directions from one place to another, searching Google for answers, and (of course) taking photographs on-the-go. 

But, as the saying goes, too much of a good thing . . . isn't always good. 

And when it comes to your wedding day -- or "the most important day of your life" -- you may want to consider going unplugged. Here's why:

1. You want your guests to be fully present. 

Sometimes we're so busy taking photographs of our biggest moments that we forget to actually experience them. It's so tempting to simply take out the phone from our pockets or purses and snap away. 

What we lose by doing this is living in the moment and enjoying the scenes and events, while creating lifelong memories. Ask your guests to be fully present in the ceremony and celebration by keeping the phones tucked away. 

2. You don't want strange ringtones going off in the middle of important moments. 

The ceremony, your first dance, the toasts. Any of these moments can easily be impacted by a phone ringing or buzzing away in the crowd. 

When you ask your guests to remain unplugged for the celebration, you can also politely ask that they turn their cell phones on silent for the night. And if you're hiring a wedding videographer, it'll keep the quality of your footage high, without any room for error or the need to edit awkward moments out.  

3. You value your wedding photographs.

There's a big reason why unplugged weddings have gained in popularity over the last few years: the photographs. 

If you've never seen some of the most beautiful wedding portraits be ruined or negatively impacted by the presence of cell phones, it's time to take a look at some examples. 

Put simply, cell phones look distracting in photographs, especially in ones you'll want to put in your albums or hang on your walls for the rest of your lives. And there's often no easy (or possible) way to "Photoshop them out." 

Not only will your wedding photographer be forever grateful, you'll look back and be glad you made the decision to go unplugged once you see the results. 

How to Host an Unplugged Wedding

Ready to start but not sure how to go about it? Here are a few tips to guide you:

1. Include wording about having an unplugged wedding wherever you see fit, such as your wedding website, your invitations, and/or on a welcome sign outside of the ceremony entrance. You can even throw in a nice line about how awesome your wedding photographer is and that you'll be sure to share images down the road!

2. Tell your officiant or pastor. Even if you've notified your guests in all the right places, sometimes they'll forget or not notice, so it's best to remind them right before the ceremony starts. Have the person leading your ceremony ask that all guests keep cell phones put away and on silent. 

3. If you have ushers, ask them to remind guests as they are seated. 

Contact the Top Wedding Photography Team in Kentucky

We’re Jeff and Michele, husband and wife wedding photographers based in Louisville, Kentucky. Your engagement and wedding photography experience is our top priority — we want you to cherish it forever!

We’d love the opportunity to be your photographers. Reach out to us online! We look forward to hearing from you!

Learn more about Louisville Wedding Photographers and Lexington Wedding Photographers, Jeff & Michele!