Couples opt for ‘unplugged weddings’ and ban snap-happy guests from taking mobile phone pictures

More and more couples are choosing to have an ‘unplugged wedding’ to stop snap-happy guests from ruining their professional photographer’s pictures. 

The growing trend, which sees brides and grooms request their guests not use mobile phones or cameras on the big day, has been on the rise since 2010.  

Couples were being left bitterly disappointed when cracked iPhone screens and large iPads littered the foreground of their professional pictures.

And now wedding photographers are also speaking out about the frustration they feel when they miss big moments due to ‘selfish’ guests.   

The trend for ‘unplugged weddings’ is on the rise, with brides and grooms asking their guests to turn their phones and cameras off during the ceremony so wedding photographer’s pictures aren’t ruined. Stock picture

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Hannah Way posted a picture of her ‘perfect shot’ being ruined by the extended arm of a guest clutching their phone. 

Alongside the post, which has gone viral and been shared more than 174,000 times, she wrote: ‘To the girl with the iPhone…

‘Not only did you ruin my shot, but you took this moment away from the groom, father of the bride, and the bride. 

‘What exactly do you plan on doing with that photo? Honestly. Are you going to print it out? Save it? Look at it everyday? No. You’re not. 

Wedding photographer Hannah Way posted a picture on Facebook, which has now been shared more than 174,000 times, where she called out a guest for ruining her 'perfect shot' with an iPhone. Stock picture

Wedding photographer Hannah Way posted a picture on Facebook, which has now been shared more than 174,000 times, where she called out a guest for ruining her ‘perfect shot’ with an iPhone. Stock picture

‘But my bride would have printed this photo, looked at it often and reminisced over this moment as her dad walked her down the aisle on her wedding day. 

‘But instead, you wanted to take a photo with your phone, blocking my view, and taking a photo that you will not use.

‘Guests, please stop viewing weddings you attend through a screen but instead turn off your phone, and enjoy the ceremony. You are important to the bride and groom, you would not be attending the wedding otherwise. 

‘So please, let me do my job, and you just sit back, relax and enjoy this once in a lifetime moment. 

‘Sincerely, Wedding photographers.’

One wedding photographer said they weren’t even able to get a good shot of ‘the kiss’ because of eager guests. 

She said: 'Not only did you ruin my shot, but you took this moment away from the groom, father of the bride, and the bride.' Stock picture

She said: ‘Not only did you ruin my shot, but you took this moment away from the groom, father of the bride, and the bride.’ Stock picture

Kathryn Anne said: ‘Unfortunately because everyone wants to capture THE moment, the kiss, a woman with a large iPad put it out in the aisle right as the vicar announced it. 

‘I was pretty disappointed.’ 

But it’s not all photographers who feel this way, Craig Mitchell Dyer says he 100 per cent disagrees with the concept of unplugged weddings. 

He said: ‘Every time I see a post about how great it would be to be at an “unplugged wedding” I cringe. Great for who?

‘It is our job as photographers to get the image no matter what. Someone steps in our way? Move.’

The unplugged request sometimes even extends to couples asking their guests not to post any pictures of the big day until after they do. 

The topic has left social media users divided, with some saying they didn’t think guests taking photos was a problem while others worry it stops guests from being ‘in the moment’.

One user, known as Julie, said: ‘I just ended up deciding it wasn’t a big enough deal to say something or have our officiant make an announcement.

‘I’m actually really happy our guests took photos and video because otherwise I still wouldn’t have seen any pictures yet.’

Another said: ‘I hired a professional to capture high quality images of the ceremony and it will be disappointing to me if people’s faces in the background are covered by a rectangle.’ 

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