Unplugged Wedding - social media free wedding zone
As the bride and groom, you are real stars for at least 24 hours on your wedding day. Fame does have its advantages (e.g. your wedding guests will bring you cocktails all night long), but it also has its disadvantages - such as the dreaded family "paparazzi", or in this case the guests who have made it their mission to take as many snapshots as possible of the bride & groom in every conceivable situation, right up to the altar.
This raises the following question: Do you mind if these photos end up on social media without your consent? And if so, how can you stop people from taking and/or posting pictures of you?
The bad news first: you can't. Despite all the measures I'm about to describe, your aunt, friend or work colleague can't help themselves - the snapshot of you squirting the jam filling up your nose while cutting the wedding cake was "too precious" for them not to share it with other family members, friends or colleagues on Facebook.
Now for the good news: there are measures or ideas from other weddings to celebrity celebrations that can help you accomplish one thing: damage control. Scroll down to read 10 great tips on how to keep that blurry photo of you dancing drunk off the internet.
1. make an unplugged wedding - in short, offline without smartphones
Your first defense against unflattering uploads is to ban photos for guests altogether. The popular trend of unplugged weddings dictates a celebration completely free of electrical devices so that everyone can fully experience the celebration in the moment and you two can look into your audience and see smiles, not cell phones.
If you want to be really strict, you can even ask your guests to hand in their cell phones at the entrance; this is quite common at VIP weddings. There are even companies that offer services to leave smartphones with the owner, but prevent the possibility of sound or image recording.
2. mention it in advance on your wedding website
Let people know early on that this topic is important to you and use your opportunities to explain exactly what you expect from your guests. Should they put their cell phones in their pockets at the ceremony, but then be allowed to go wild with their phones at the reception? Is it okay if the guests take photos but don't publish them? Is it okay if they share the photos online as long as you and your partner are the first to post them? Do you want them to use a wedding hashtag so that you can find all the pictures quickly and simply delete the ones you don't like?
3. consider not using a wedding hashtag
If you ask people not to post photos on social media, but you've still set up an official hashtag, it sends contradictory signals. I know that as the future Mrs. Elisabeth Maierhofer, you are very proud of #Mr&MrsMaierhofer, but when you communicate the hashtag, you are ultimately actively asking people to use it.
4. insert a note in the invitations and/or programs
A simple note in the invitations is another way to make your guests aware that you do not want them to take on the task of your professional photographer. A reminder in the program booklet ensures that they don't forget the information.
5. put up a sign at the venue
I have to admit this is quite ironic, but if you search social media for #unpluggedwedding you'll find thousands of pretty pictures for inspiration.
6. make an announcement
Use the authority of the officiant, photographer or DJ before the ceremony begins and have him or her say a few words about the smartphone and camera ban. Make sure again that the guests are clear about what they may and may not photograph and publish.
7. approach the matter with humor
If you're worried about coming across as strict, vain or a control freak, it can help if you deliver your request with humor. No one likes to be bossed around, but everyone appreciates a good joke. Creative wording on a sign or a funny announcement can make your guests respect your wishes.
8. change your privacy settings on social media
So you can't be tagged without your consent. This is how it works on Instagram, how it works on Facebook and how it works on Twitter. You can't remove a tag on Snapchat, but you can report the troublemaker at any time.
9. draw the attention of anyone who does not abide by the rules
You don't have to do this in person (you're the stars today, remember?), but you can ask a few members of your wedding party, family or photo team to play spokesperson and keep an eye out for photos on social media. They can then politely approach the perpetrators and say a casual "I bet the photo will be beautiful. Just remember to wait until the bride and groom have posted something or ask them if you can post it now".
10. timely posting of "sneak peek" photos
There are many reasons why you might want to keep your guests' photos off social media. Maybe you're just a very private couple, or you don't want photos to appear that could (wrongly) give the impression that you weren't the flawless couple you are on your special day.
If your only problem with shared photos is that they show up before you've been able to post your big, official "Hey, we got married" moment on social media, I'll take care of the problem for you.
I will send you around 20 photos of your big day no later than 24 hours after your ceremony. So you can be sure that you and your guests will be able to see your best side.
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