Smartphones at a Wedding: Asking Your Guests to Leave Their Phones at the Door

Cell phones have no business in a church — especially during your ceremony. How does our bride ask her guests to relinquish their phones, while still respecting their property?

We all know how helpful new technology is, but it needs to be used properly in order to keep it from becoming a nuisance.

A Hudson Valley bride asks: We’re having our ceremony in a church. This part of our wedding day is a solemn occasion that deserves the respect of all who are present. I would like to ask guests to check their smartphones at the door. Can I do that? If it’s okay, how do I go about it?”

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The Wedding Guru says: I agree. A house of worship is not a place for smartphones: No one wants to hear a ringtone or see guests jump into the aisle to shoot an image. You can mitigate things by having someone announce that guests turn off their cell phones while in the church.

Unfortunately, some people are attached at the hip to their phones. If you’re concerned that a verbal request won’t work, you can have an usher ask guests to relinquish their phones at the door. Provide labeled envelopes filed in alphabetical order for easy retreivability after the ceremony.

Don’t be anxious about curtailing use of smartphones; it’s absolutely acceptable!

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