No phones or cameras for guests

[griffinsss]

How would this go down with you?

My 12 year old was horrified....

Reasoning:

1. I'm a photographer. I know a lot of photographers. I don't want my guests to not feel like they are working (aka taking photographs).
2. I don't want my professional photographers to have to fight to get their shot
3. I want my guests in the moment. There will be plenty of entertainment without facebook.
4. I don't want details of my wedding shared on social media before the day has even finished
5. I don't want endless photographs ruined by guests flashes, mobile phones or guests looking at the wrong camera.

Acceptable to ask that people don't take photos during the ceremony.

Laughable to ban for the rest of the day. Not to mention unenforceable unless you're planning to employ security to monitor then confiscate phones or kick people out, which is actually even more ridiculous.

Just depends, will your wedding be in Hello or OK?

I can see the point about social media but the rest makes you sound like a bit of an arse. Your 12yr old can see this, why can't you?

Yabu. Fair enough during the ceremony but afterwards is ridiculous.

Besides evwey so how wedding ive been to the best photos have ended up been the candid photos taken by guests when everyone really is in the moment.

are you famous op?

If you asked me not to take any during ceremony and not to post anything on social media then that would be completely fine.
Stipulating that I couldn't take pictures with my friends and my husband, or have my phone with me in case of an emergency, would make me think you were a bit precious and taking yourself and your wedding waaaaayy too seriously. It's a really important day for you, for everyone else it's a lovely party. I'm next of kin for both of my parents and I wouldn't spend a day and an evening without my phone for this reason.

If you tell people they can't bring a phone because you want them "to be in the moment" and "present" and only interested in the entertainment you have put on, they'll think you are a self-important loon who takes herself waaaaaaay too seriously.

Don't do it.

Asking for no photos during the ceremony is fine. Asking people not to post on Facebook is fine. The rest is bad!

I wouldn't mind the not taking photos during ceremony or professional shots and I don't really use social media so that wouldn't affect me. I think the rest is taking it too far. Why shouldn't someone take a photo of particular fun or funny moments. I'm confused about the first point. If the professional photographer guests will feel like they are working if they are taking photos won't they just not take them?

On point 3 if your guests or their children don't post photos but are bored or an event is happening to someone else they know why shouldn't they be on facebook (not during ceremony or while they are in formal photos, maybe at the points they are waiting as they won't be taking photos themselves.)

I can see the logic in what your saying, but perhaps tweak it so people understand its not about controlling them so much as it is about keeping your day special.

e.g. You do not want unauthorised images of your wedding appearing on social media as this is first and foremost YOUR day and a private event (which these people have been fortunate enough to be invited to)

It is unfair to expect people to not bring their phones as taxis need booking, baby sitters need checking on etc etc. But to me requesting people NOT take photos seems quite reasonable IF your guest are all adults. If there are kids...best of luck, you could have a full funfair as part of the entertainment and those little f**ks will still be bored and want to play on the internet.

I'd tell you to fuck off quite frankly.
I'm not a child and if you don't want pictures during the ceremony or whatever then fine but you can't tell someone not to bring a phone or take a few snaps at the table when with friends. For a start my child would be with a baby sitter and I'd need to be contactable.

Yanbu about photos being posted on social media. I agree with you there until you've done your bit yourself.

Totally opposed to the complete phone ban. Like many other pps I'd ignore and bring it anyway but completely respect the no pics on social media until a specified time

I think it's a horrible idea. No phones? You'd come across as a total control freak and some people need to be able to get contacted on an emergency (for example parents who've left their kids with babysitters). No cameras? That's really self obsessed. Not everyone will even be taking pictures of you. Family weddings are often the only time we all get together and we usually update the photo wall. Really bad plan.

No photos or filming during ceremony, fine (because that's fucking rude to do anyway), but the rest of it? Bridezilla and controlling.

I also think this is unreasonable, are you brad Pitt and angelina jolie? Your photographers fighting to get shots? What's that all about? People posting about uou on social media? Your photos ruined by endless flashes?

Fine ask them to not take photos during the ceremony, but that's it.i think uou have got so caught up in uour wedding that you've built it up in your own head to unreasonable proportions.

You can't ask people to not bring phones that's crazy, they need their phones, and I can't see the issue with cameras either to be honest.

I'd say no as well. Re your point about your friends being photographers and fighting for the shot - I think it's a non issue. They'll be happy for the day off! My friend is married to a vicar; he wouldn't have felt the need to leap to the front and officiate at our wedding! On the other hand, if you do have people good with a camera there, you may find you get some wonderful extra photos that you otherwise wouldn't have had. One friend's dad was deeply into photography and took as many photos at our wedding as the professional. But he didn't get in the way, I certainly didn't notice - and, because he knew me and who were close family and friends, we got the most fantastic and unexpected extra set of wedding photos. (Don't get me wrong, our professional photographer was great - but he obviously couldn't know the difference between my closest childhood friend and my work colleague, for example, so just tried to get photos of everybody. Friend's dad got more of my family and university friends, so they were a fantastic complement).

Plus - I think it looks especially arsey to say "no photos" if they are photographers, because they may well infer that you don't like their work, if you see what I mean!

I think you are perfectly reasonable and Not a weirdo.
why not?
can't people live without their phones for a few hours?

Go for it

The registrars can tell guests not to take photos during the ceremony, not to post to social media and to turn phones off/ to silent.
The rest...well you can ask your guests not to take photos while your photographer is working, but you can only ask... not enforce a rule.

can't people live without their phones for a few hours?

Of course they can. That's not the point.

how did kids manage before mobiles were around so much fgs!

This is all nonsensical.

1. Anyone who doesn't want to take photos, just won't take photos.
2. Unless you have particularly boorish friends and family, this is unlikely to happen. And if it does happen your wedding photographer will have plenty of experience with dealing with it directly.
3. Your guests will have paid to travel or for accodarion. They'll be wearing their best clothes - possibly new clothes. They'll be having fun with other friends or family that they don't see every day. All of that is part of the fun of a wedding; why shouldn't they be allowed to have photos to remember it with?
4. Everything is shared on social media these days, whether we like it or not. Some wedding photographers include a service where they get up 'teaser' shots of the day on your social media as the day goes on, to take attention away from unofficial photos. You could ask yours to do so.
5. The only points that this could be an issue is during the ceremony - in which case put a polite note in the order of service asking for no photography during the ceremony please. That's what we're doing. Or during the official photos, when my experience is that guests know not to take photographs themselves. However, if they do then your wedding photographer can deal with it.

As per newspaper Article, Call it a Technology Free WEdding, or unplugged

i think its great.

unreasonable

people won't get to buy your official pics. they'll still want memories of their own. seems incredibly narcissistic to assume ppl will fight over shots

if u have a lot of photographers as guests surely they respect their trade and will give the official photographer the space to work?

At People calling the op a loon and a weirdo for not wanting phones out at her wedding. It's quite amusing how worked up people get on AIBU! Calm down! (and maybe get a hobby)

Ok it's not AIBU Still a dramatic response!