Yes, asking guests to put their phones away during the ceremony is usually a good idea, as long as you ask kindly and give them another moment for their photos. The reason is simple. A screen held up in the middle of the ceremony rarely makes the photo any better. Picture yourselves walking towards the altar. What you want to see are the faces of the people you love, not a row of phones. And whoever is filming misses out too, because they watch the scene through a screen instead of living it. Many couples call this an unplugged wedding. For those few minutes, guests are free from the constant distraction of their phones and can take in everything you have prepared with such care, from the decoration to the readings. There is another detail that hardly anyone notices from their seat. The guest who stands up or leans out into the aisle to get the best shot often ends up right in front of the photographer you have hired. And they are usually the last to realise they are in the way. But it is not as simple as it seems. Some people find it very hard to let go of their phone, even for a little while. That is why a middle ground works better: no phones during the ceremony and freedom at the reception. That way nobody feels you are taking something away from them. You are simply asking for a few minutes of their attention. Choosing your words carefully also helps. It is not about banning anything. It is about explaining that they will not need their phone for that short while, because what you really want is for them to be present. A few simple lines on the invitation or a sign at the entrance are enough. Ideally, on the day itself, the professionals or someone you trust should announce it before things begin, so that you do not have to keep an eye on it yourselves. If it feels like too much, you can balance it out with a photo booth at the reception, with a few fun props, so that the urge to take photos has its own place.
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How to put it into practice
The next step is simple. Talk it over between the two of you and decide how far you want to go: just the ceremony, or the reception as well. Then write the line you are going to use, short and friendly, and think about who will say it out loud before things begin. If you have already booked your photography and video, tell the team what you have decided. And if you are planning your wedding in Asturias, in Gijón or elsewhere in Spain, you can write to Evan & Natalia Simon to talk it through calmly and see how to fit it into your day.
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Links
More information, not yet independently confirmed: thedartmouth.com.
