Every guest at your wedding carries a camera. That is wonderful for you, since they will catch moments your photographer never sees. It also raises questions. Can they film the vows? Can they post before you do? What about the children, or the guest who would rather not be online at all?
You don’t need a long list of rules. You need a few clear wishes, told kindly and early. Here is how to decide them and what to say.
Decide what you want first
Talk it through with your partner before you tell anyone else. The common questions are:
- The ceremony. Do you want phones away, so your photographer has a clear view and everyone is present? Many couples ask for an “unplugged” ceremony and welcome phones again at the reception.
- Social media. Are guests free to post, or would you like to share the first photos yourselves? Some couples ask guests to wait until the next day.
- Children. If children are coming, do their parents want their photos shared publicly?
- Private guests. Some guests have good reasons to stay offline. A private album protects them better than a public hashtag.
There is no right answer. A small wedding among close friends can be relaxed. A big wedding with colleagues and distant relatives may need a little more care.
Give guests one private place to share
The kindest rule is one that gives guests something to do, not just something to avoid. Instead of “please don’t post”, try “please share with us here”.
A private album lets guests share every photo without putting anything on public profiles. On MyWedi, only people with your link or QR code can open your event, and it is not listed anywhere. Guests upload photos and videos in full quality, and location data is removed from the photos guests see and download. You keep control of what appears: pin, hide or remove any post, and on Story and Signature approve posts before they show and add an album password.
Tell guests early, and more than once
Guests can only follow wishes they know about. Mention them:
- on the invitation, in a short line near the schedule
- in a welcome post at the top of the feed
- on a small sign at the ceremony entrance
- in one announcement from the officiant, the DJ or your host
Keep the tone warm. Guests want to get it right, and a clear request makes it easy.
Words you can borrow
For an unplugged ceremony:
We invite you to be fully present with us during the ceremony. Please keep your phones away until we are married. Our photographer will capture it, and we will share the photos with you.
For a private album instead of social media:
We would love to see the day through your eyes. Please share your photos and videos in our album by scanning the QR code, rather than on social media. We will post our favourites ourselves.
For waiting before posting:
Feel free to take as many photos as you like. We just ask that you wait until tomorrow before posting anything online.
For a relaxed wedding:
Snap away and share everything in our album. The more, the better.
A few gentle extras
- Respect the photographer. Ask guests not to step into the aisle or stand in front of the professional during key moments.
- Ask before posting others. Remind guests that not everyone wants to be online, especially children.
- Make it fun. Photo challenges and a live photo wall turn photo-taking into part of the celebration, inside your private space.
- Make removal easy. If a guest asks for a photo of them to be taken down, you or a co-host can remove it in a tap, and guests can delete their own posts too.
After the wedding
Send the album link with your thank-you note, so guests can relive the day and see each other’s photos. If you are happy for photos to go online now, say so. Guests will appreciate knowing.
See how it feels for guests
Open the demo wedding and look around as a guest would. Read more about privacy and moderation or compare the plans.
