Guest post by Stephanie Herbst of Wedding Party App.
Weddings have come so far in the last couple of years. From iPhones to wedding websites to countless wedding blogs, technology has played a huge role in transforming weddings and making it easier than ever to share photos, videos, notes, and memories!
Yet for all the good that technology has done for weddings, we can’t say there isn’t a catch. We all know it’s easy for people to get a bit too engrossed with their fancy handheld devices and pay too little attention to the bride and groom.
So what’s the best way for a guest to use a smartphone to document the wedding without also seeming rude at the same time? It’s simpler than you think! Just follow these ten commandments for proper iPhone wedding etiquette!
- Thou shalt turn your phone on vibrate during the wedding ceremony. (Hopefully you learned this 20 years ago when cellphones were the size of bricks.)
- Thou shalt not leave your seat and walk around the entire ceremony to get the perfect shot with your iPhone. No one likes a meddling amateur photographer to mess up the wedding, even if your Instagram feed is quite impressive.
- But, thou shalt document the awesome, candid moments of the wedding that you think the couple would love. Because that’s the right thing to do.
- Thou shalt send every picture and video taken with your iPhone to the happy couple. Wouldn’t you want them to do the same for you?
- Thou shalt not live-Tweet every moment of the wedding and ignore the actual occasion (a couple tweets are okay, though).
- Thou shalt think twice before posting that snarky status update about the cash bar (even if cash bars stink).
- Thou shalt not change the reception’s Spotify playlist, even if the songs are a bit on the cheesy side. Who are you to judge and put on your hipster playlist?
- Thou shalt not publish embarrassing photos or videos of the happy couple to Facebook without their consent. Not only will they be annoyed that they have to untag your photos, they’ll be annoyed at YOU.
- Thou shalt not check your work email. C’mon, you’re at a wedding!
- Thou shalt only use the very best iPhone apps at a wedding, like WeddingHappy and WeddingParty! Because technology is here to make your wedding more awesome, not the opposite.
So the next time you’re at a wedding, remember these commandments before you pull out your smartphone and check Facebook. With these ten rules, you’ll always be equipped to be on your best behavior and contribute positively to the wedding with your gadgets.
Stephanie Herbst works in marketing at Wedding Party, a company that makes awesome apps to share your engagement and wedding with your closest friends and family. Learn more about them at weddingpartyapp.com, and follow them on Facebook.
