#Instaban // The wedding trend every couple should consider
Sure, the first thing most people think about these days is how to document what they're doing.Posed happiness, gorgeous drink and food photos, and of course selfies galore. No one thinks to expect anything less, or even stop to consider that just enjoying the moment is fabulous enough.
After all, long lost friends from High School should absolutely see how amazing you look in that dress right?
As most can attest, this thought process especially applies to weddings and other special events. No matter how many pros have been hired to document the day, iphones tend to take over with photos of every possible moment... including those relatives who didn't dress for the occasion, or guests who've had just a little too much to drink.
Some feel this is the best way to capture the reality of their special day with all kinds of candid photos to keep forever, others feel letting phones reign the event lessens the experience.
Is the new #Instaban trend for you?
Here's why many are saying it's the best decision they've made for their wedding...
1. Can I get a Witness?
Because leaving the phones out means that your guests are really "witnesses" at your wedding instead of just another photographer. Isn't that the point of having guests at your wedding in the first place...to have them witness? As Bruce Feiler says in the New York Times article called "The 'I DOs, Unplugged" when interviewing a past groom,
“A wedding is about having people paying witness,” Michael later told me. “How can they do that if they don’t even hear your vows because they’re too busy taking pictures?”
2. Too much too soon
For those brides who still want the tradition of not seeing the groom till the walk down the aisle, or even for the modern day version of this fondly called "the first look" ...then the Instaban might be for you. I can't tell you how many times I've heard of gown photos or bridal looks being shown via social media too soon and spoiling the surprise. It's amazing how overzealous bridesmaids or family members can get with photos when they're excited about your big day.
3. Left out
If you're like most brides, then that means you have to get serious about who you want to invite to make that guest list fit your budget. Whether you want to or not, that usually means that some people end up not making the final list. Of course you care about their feelings, and you don't want the uninvited to feel unloved when they see you wedding plastered all over social media by guests who are having a good time. Instigating an Instaban is a good way you can keep this to a minimum.
4. That's my bad side...
The very nature of guests taking unlimited photos at your wedding is that none of it is censored by you. Bad shots, bad lighting, or even just bad timing can create those dreaded photos where you look less like the bridal beauty you are. For those who would only like the best of the best out there of their big day, the Instaban is definitely for you.
So how do I actually do this?
To actually pull of an #Instaban, you have two options...
Take phones hostage
Now this might sound a little intense, but it has been working really well for many events. In a lot of cases, the party hosts set up a check in similar to a coat check (or in addition to the coat check) in which phones are checked in prior to entering the event. The guests are allowed to come back to check their phones at convenient times throughout the event, but there is a barrier to actually taking the phone in with them.
Bada-bing, bada-boom! No interruptions, and non-distracted guests.
The key here is to have a person actually acting as a barrier to having phones at your event. Signs may look great, but they don't actually do much good if you're looking for people to take this ban seriously.
Allow photos at certain times
Working in key moments, especially during a wedding ceremony, where it is announced that photos can be taken is another strategy working for many brides.
"Many religious institutions have long banned electronics during services. Rabbi Joe Black, of Temple Emmanuel in Denver, said that when he’s officiating weddings, he asks the couple when they arrive on the pulpit to turn and face the congregation.
“Then I ask everyone to take out their cameras and cellphones and take pictures,” Rabbi Black said. “The cameras snap away. Then I ask everyone to turn them off and be fully present for the bride and groom.” ("i Dos Unplugged", by Bruce Feiler, The New York Times)
Getting Officiants and Wedding Coordinators to help announce these moments can make this process work without a hitch.
Is the #Instaban for you? Let us know your thoughts below on this trend and if/how you're planning one of these tactics for your wedding!
photo by Darrin Hackney Photography
