What Is An Unplugged Wedding Ceremony?

In a world where our phones are almost always in our hands, the concept of an unplugged wedding ceremony is becoming increasingly popular. But what exactly is an unplugged ceremony, and why are so many couples opting for this approach? We asked some of the UK’s top celebrants to share their thoughts on the subject and why they believe unplugged ceremonies create a more meaningful experience for everyone involved.

Everything You Need To Know About Unplugged Wedding Ceremonies According To Wedding Celebrants

What Is An Unplugged Ceremony?

At its core, an unplugged ceremony is one where guests are asked to put away their phones, cameras, and other devices, encouraging them to be fully present in the moment. Hannah Wroe Gill explains, "An unplugged ceremony is one where the officiant has requested that guests turn off and put away any phones, cameras, or other devices they have on their person... so they can wholeheartedly focus on what’s happening in the service itself."

The beauty of an unplugged ceremony lies in its flexibility, as noted by With Love Celebrancy: "We can define an unplugged ceremony in whatever way works best for each couple—it is completely flexible. For some couples, it means no photos at all; some will have a lighter approach, such as allowing photos during specific moments, like the signing of the certificate."

Tim Maguire also adds that “The other way in which a ceremony can be unplugged is to have only live and un-amplified music, and my favourite weddings have often had musical contributions from friends on acoustic instruments.” 

Why Choose An Unplugged Ceremony?

It Keeps Guests Fully Present

One of the biggest benefits of an unplugged ceremony is that it helps guests stay in the moment. Carrie from Carrie Celebrates puts it perfectly: "We all spend a lot of time watching things on our various screens, and I think it's making us disconnect from reality a bit. So, if people are at your wedding ceremony trying to get the perfect shot or film it, they're viewing it through a screen and aren't really in the moment."

Jess the Celebrant agrees, adding that "people tend to sit still and actually listen to what is being said. They are more immersed in the whole experience, especially in a celebrant-led ceremony where the content of the ceremony is original and more entertaining!"
 

Intimacy and Emotional Connection Increases
Many celebrants highlighted how unplugged ceremonies can create a more intimate and emotional atmosphere. As With Love Celebrancy explains, "Phones... can act as a barrier to that connection. They block the view of someone’s eyes—the window of the soul. We lose the ability to see their emotions, and their feelings. When we remove phones, everyone can be truly present, and the atmosphere is warm, authentic, and truly heartfelt." Not only that, the couple getting married feel a greater emotion from the crowd. Instead of looking out and seeing flashes and screens, they'll see people's real-time reactions. This is a lot less intimidating for the couple - some people get very camera-nervous, and we can't blame them!

Hannah Wroe Gill echoed this sentiment, saying, "In the often hectic energy of a wedding day, it’s actually a beautiful thing to focus everyone on one of the most important emotional elements of the whole day—the ceremony. You’re giving everyone permission to lose themselves in another couple’s love story."
 

Enhances the Photography and Videography
Another practical reason to go unplugged is to ensure that your professional photos and videos aren’t interrupted by guests’ devices. We've all got a potentially over-eager Auntie who will walk out into the aisle to get that perfect shot, but maybe we should leave that to the professionals. As Say It Right Ceremonies notes, if a professional photographer is hired, “the likelihood is that you've paid them a fair amount and they're very good at taking photos, so it's nice to let them do their job without a phone camera in the way.” With Love Celebrancy also reminds us, "Let’s face it, your photographer/videographer will also thank you—and you will prefer the photos afterwards!"

How To Let Your Guests Know...

So, you've decided to have an unplugged ceremony for the above reasons (or your own). Great! But how do you actually let your guests know?

Wedding invites/website
Telling your guests that you're going unplugged on your invites is a great place to start. Ensure that the text is big enough so no one misses it. You could also add a little explanation as to what an unplugged ceremony is underneath. If you've gone for a wedding website, it's arguably easier. You could even include your reasons for going unplugged.

Wedding programme
Similar to the above, you can plaster it on your order of the day or order of service booklets. This will make sure that those who read it on the invite/website but accidentally forgot are swiftly reminded.

Make an announcement/ask your celebrant
Once everyone has arrived, you can elect someone to remind them about the rules of an unplugged ceremony. Whilst guests are waiting for the bride's grand entrance, you know that pretty much everyone will be in one place, so it's a great time to speak! Gently remind the guests of the couple's wishes.​​​​​​​

Share the professional photos
Tell your guests that you will be sharing the professional photos taken by your photographer after the wedding. Everyone gets the photos, so no one feels the need to sneak in a quick pic, and you can relax knowing this.

Photo booth
​​​​​​​If you are so inclined, you could set up a photo booth, so those who want a little selfie have that option too. Another win-win!

Signage

Whether they're handmade or custom, popping up a bunch of signs around your venue reminding people of your unplugged ceremony rules is a great way to ensure people keep off their phones - and stay off. If you're worried about coming off a little harsh, spruce up your signs with some wit. "Hold the phone!"

Another way to ensure guests are staying off their devices is to organise some sort of phone storage, like baskets. Obviously, some people may not be ok with this in case of work or other emergencies, but it's an idea to discuss.

Handing Reactions From Guests & Other Challenges

While unplugged ceremonies are generally well-received, there can occasionally be pushback from guests. Carrie Celebrates acknowledges, "I have had the odd annoying uncle who still insists on standing up and taking pictures on their phone, even when they have been asked not to! I have tended to ignore it really, as I think stopping the ceremony to point it out makes things worse."

With Love Celebrancy offers a playful solution: "I mean, I do have a gold spray-painted pocket Nerf gun, and I’m not afraid to use it… and yes, I have! One bride even upgraded me to a gold water pistol for her beach wedding—it was both an effective deterrent and hilarious."

In more serious situations, communication and humour can go a long way. As SLR Family Ceremonies explains, “Even with signage and a message at the start, I’ve still had pushback a number of times in relation to unplugged ceremonies. I find that the best way to deal with resistance is to be polite, positive, professional and promptly to the point. Reminding guests of the couple's desire for an intimate, distraction-free environment and how using devices can be detrimental to that.” 

Hannah Wroe Gill also emphasises the importance of timing: "The timing of that announcement makes a big difference. I ask everyone when I introduce myself to them separate to the actual ceremony beginning... It’s rare someone then takes a photo in the ceremony itself, but if this happens more than once, I might quietly remind everyone of the previous request."

Are Unplugged Ceremonies Just A Trend?

The resounding consensus among celebrants is that unplugged ceremonies are here to stay. SLR Family Ceremonies believes they’ve become the norm: "Some trends in the wedding industry seem to come and go but with the popularity of unplugged ceremonies growing in recent years, I think couples seek to create more meaningful and focused wedding experiences for a long time to come.” 

Bex The Celebrant also points out that experiential weddings and micro-weddings, both of which prioritise guest experience, are on the rise, making unplugged ceremonies even more relevant. Plus, she rightly says, “Let’s face it, the couple deserves to be the first to share their wedding photos – not Auntie Sue on Facebook!

Carrie Celebrates agrees that unplugged ceremonies are timeless because of the rich memories they create: "I always tell people to use their mind cameras to capture it all. That memory will feel so much richer than looking at a photo on your phone."

Ultimately, unplugged ceremonies are about connection between the couple, their guests, and the moment itself. As With Love Celebrancy beautifully summarises, "When the service is personal, heartfelt, and entertaining, even the most phone-addicted guests tend to stay in the moment." So whether it’s a simple request for phones to be silenced or a lighthearted moment with a Nerf gun, unplugged ceremonies are a wonderful way to create a truly memorable wedding experience. You might choose to let guests know with signage. If so, take a look at the five signs you need for your wedding day to get them all sorted in one go! If you’re looking for other ways you can make your ceremony more special and personalised, we recommend taking a look at our best wedding readings that your family, friends and wedding party could read out.