Your photographer might find it challenging and annoying to shoot over Uncle Marty's tablet, but the fact of the matter is that it is growing increasingly difficult to separate ourselves from our mobile devices. I'm writing this blog post on a computer, and I've still checked my smartphone four times since I opened my word processor. So, instead of trying to be a rebel (because unless you're James Dean rebels tend to not be cute), I'd like you to entertain the notion that maybe, just maybe, a "plugged in" or "tech-friendly" wedding could actually be one that your guests (and you!) really enjoy. In an effort to state my case, here are seven reasons why I think you might be a little over sensitive about the whole "Please, no cell phones" rule.
1. It saves you money.
It's true. If you use a mobile wedding application, you'll actually save money. The really good ones offer the ability to have your guests RSVP to your celebration directly on the app, and if you didn't include a response card in your invitation suite and mandated guests to RSVP by downloading your app, or visiting your mobile wedding website, you'd save anywhere from $1.50 to $4.50 per invitation! You could even say goodbye to having to foot the bill for return postage. Think about how amazing your bouquet could be with that much more to spend.
2. Being "green" is in.
I'm not just talking about Emerald being the official color for weddings in 2013. We are all trying to be more globally conscious of the footprint we leave on this Earth. Everyone can play a small part in reducing the amount of waste in the form of paper. So, along with the monetary savings that comes along with the elimination of the response card in your invitation suite, you could also get rid of the card that tells your guests where your block room rate is for the evening of your wedding. Through social media, wedding websites, and mobile apps, your guests could make their hotel reservation right on their smart phone! And you still get to play a part in saving our planet at the same time!
3. You've got better things for your Bridesmaids to do.
Seriously, why would you have your Bridesmaids spend precious hours chasing down your wedding guests to let them all know where you and your fiancé are registered? If your wedding was a plugged in experience, your guests could find all that information with one click. That way, your Bridesmaids' time is better spent helping you make your centerpieces or assembling favors.
4. Your photographer took more than one engagement photo, right?
Well a lot of your wedding guests don't know that. Sure, you put a great shot of you two on your Save The Date card, and we might see another good photo at the entrance to the reception, but you spent a lot of money on engagement and wedding photography, show it off! Wedding websites and mobile applications are a great way to showcase how great you two look together! (And, it's also a great way to rub it in.)
5. Eight megapixels beats the disposable camera every time.
You can't stop them. Your guests will take pictures at your wedding. And, often times, it's the candid shots that they took that become your favorite memories. So, why not let them take a picture with their mobile device and share it with you instantly, versus spending all of that money on disposable cameras (hey there, reason number one), and then spending the money to get that film developed? I'm not saying to encourage them to share it all over Facebook, but you can provide an online gallery just for your wedding that they could upload the photos to.
6. Everyone stays on the same page
The reason why all of us use social media throughout our day is to stay informed about what is going on around us. The same should be true for your wedding day in regards to your guests. If you wake up on the morning of your celebration and its pouring down rain, you should have a quick and easy way to get that information out to all of your friends and family, and let them know what your backup plan is. This saves an incredible amount of time, and also saves your guests the headache of arriving to the rose garden for your ceremony only to find out its been moved into the foyer!
7. The no food and no drink guests
Think about all of the people who you want to invite to your wedding, but they can't attend due to financial situations. Now add that to the sorority sisters you want to invite, but don't want to waste the stationery costs when you know they're half way across the country and can't take time off of work. The truth is, everyone on this list is important to you, and you'd like to share this day with them, right? Well, if you embraced a plugged-in wedding, it would be easy to use a program or application to livestream the ceremony and/or reception, so that they can enjoy these special moments with you! (Did I mention that these "guests" don't eat the meal your caterer provided or drink from the open bar? Cha-Ching!)
There is no question that our lives are moving in a direction that will cause us to be even more tied to our mobile devices than we currently are. It is also understood that brides don't want to look through professional wedding photography that has a bunch of cell phone screens in it. Those pictures that you see and the horror stories that follow only occur because there wasn't a well thought out and organized approach to how guests could effectively use technology to enhance the wedding! Take note of the seven reasons above and then research the best providers of technology-related services for weddings, and I promise you, you will have a fantastic celebration that will be remembered (and appreciated!) for years to come.