man taking photo at wedding ceremony

Wedding Etiquette in the Age of Social Media

October 4, 2016

In an age where our phones have become an extension of our bodies ­— carried everywhere from the countryside to the bathroom, it is only natural that a new form of etiquette is established regarding phone usage, especially at an event as formal and special as a wedding.

There are a number of things to consider when taking out your phone during a wedding. The rules of etiquette depend mostly on what the bride and the groom want. Some couples are all for social media — creating hashtags, encouraging selfies and letting people share the day socially, while other couples prefer the day to be super private.

Regardless of whether the couple in question are pro social media or more reserved, some rules of etiquette should be respected to help keep the wedding special and memorable. The following are the top etiquette rules to follow the next time you are a wedding guest.

Put a stop to the ring tones

One moment that is special for every couple during their wedding is when the bride starts walking down the aisle towards her future husband. Whether she is walking on the marbled floor of an old cathedral or striding down the aisle barefoot on the sand, no bride or groom wants to hear your ringtone going off during such a romantic moment. Make sure you put your phone on silent way before the ceremony starts, so that you won’t be that person whose phone distracts everyone from the special moment.

Put the phone down when the photographer is near

Couples hire professionals so they can capture moments in a beautiful way. When there is a photographer shooting near you, put your phone away so that the official wedding photos won’t have you with your phone raised, trying to capture the same moment. Photographers are there to shoot people in an organic way, living a special moment, capturing reactions, and having people holding smartphones in their hands won’t translate in beautiful photos.

Keep the flash at bay

Besides the problem of having smartphones captured in official wedding photos, you should avoid using your phone when the photographer is near because you could potentially ruin the lighting, if you use your camera flash. Photographers take pains to get the lighting right so that their photos can look amazing.

Be wary about what to share on social media

If a couple encourages their guests from early on to share the day on social media, then you have more freedom here, but most couples prefer to keep certain moments of their wedding to themselves. Before you post photos, check with the bride and the groom if they don’t mind. Not only will you be showing how much you respect their wishes but you will avoid any feelings of resentment they might end up having towards you.

What you have to remember is that this is the bride’s and the groom’s day. Etiquette is still important in this modern world and respecting certain boundaries will show the kind of person you are.

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