If you’ve attended any street festivals, weddings, or backyard parties recently, chances are the entire event was closely documented by multiple people, and photo evidence is available on a number of social media sites.
But recently, one couple defied the times and had a wedding that was completely unplugged, free of technology and social media, save a wedding photographer.
Their reasoning? They wanted their wedding to be organic and natural. Rather than just a series of curated, picture-perfect moments, they wanted their guests to instead enjoy being in the moment and wanted to do the same for their big day.
Everyone is kind of watching your entire big moment in life through a little five-inch screen,” says Lizzie Post, a great-great-granddaughter of etiquette expert Emily Post and president of the Emily Post Institute. “We’re not really in the moment. We’re recording the moment.
So in an attempt to be in the moment, Amber and Marley Jay said no phones during the ceremony.
Because we didn’t want to annoy or inconvenience guests, we nixed phones only for our 15-minute ceremony, first dance and cake-cutting. We allowed phones during cocktail hour and the rest of the reception, and we told our guests they could take all the selfies they wanted,” Marley wrote. “But we asked them not to post any photos of us online. We did hire a professional photographer to capture the evening for us, including the ceremony. We wanted to make sure her photos were full of smiling faces, not screens.
Ultimately, the phone-free wedding was a success. Not only did the wedding photos turn out beautiful, with not a single screen in sight as the couple said ‘I do,’ but guests were able to be fully present.
Are you thinking that an unplugged wedding might be right for you? Here are some tips to have a romantic and tech-free wedding:
Provide Chances For Photo Ops
You don’t need cell phones to get a ton of great selfies and candid moments captured by guests! Instead, top your table linen rentals with a disposable camera for each guest. That way, you get a plethora of memories to share! Additionally, renting a photo booth to place inside of your tent rentals is an amazing way for people to make memories before hitting the dance floor.
Let Guests Know to Unplug from Social Media
With hundreds of details to plan, such as party supply rentals and food, weddings can definitely be stressful. To make things easier on you and your guests, include a heads up in your invitations. Let them know that your wedding will indeed be tech-free.
A Picture Perfect Wedding — Without the Smart Phones
Did you know that 93% of brides take to the Internet to plan their weddings? While we are all obsessed with having the perfect, social-media-worthy wedding, it is possible to have a beautiful party without having to frame every moment through the lens of a phone screen. For a beautiful wedding, utilize party supply rentals such as tents, linens, and chairs. Party supply rental companies will help you create a beautiful and affordable wedding.