Wedding planner reveals the ‘most effective way’ to ensure that guests aren’t using phones during ceremony

‘Can we just start collecting phones at this point’

A California-based wedding planner has revealed the “most effective way” to make sure that guests aren’t on their phones during the ceremony.

On TikTok, Claire, the owner of event planning company Grit & Grace, frequently posts videos about tips for organising a wedding. In a recent clip, Claire shared what she called the “most effective (and honestly, only) way to have a legitimately unplugged ceremony,” noting how it isn’t ideal for guests to be seen on their phones in “professional wedding photos”.

“This is how to actually make sure people are not on their phone during your wedding ceremony,” she said. “Because no matter how much you love them, I’m pretty sure that’s not the vibe you’re going for, for your professional wedding photos.”

According to Claire the best way to make sure that guests aren’t on their phones is by having the wedding officiant make an “announcement” about it before the ceremony starts.

“Ask your officiant to make an announcement before everybody else comes down,” she explained. “Unplugged signs are so cute and trendy, but people walk right past them.”

As of 28 April, the video has more than 2.3m views, with viewers in the comments sharing the strategies they’ve considered to make sure that guests aren’t on their phones.

“As a photographer, I always just announce it,” one wrote. “‘ON BEHALF OF THE BRIDE & GROOM SO WE MAY GET THE BEST SHOTS, PLEASE PUT ALL PHONES / cameras away.’”

“I heard from someone to have your officiant announce that you will have a second kiss at the end for them to take their photos and it helps,” another wrote.

A third person wrote: “Venue owner and coordinator here. I tell people I’m hiding the Super Soaker in the bushes. Everyone surrounding the culprit will have to pay.”

However, some viewers expressed that they’ve been at weddings where officiants made an announcement about no electronics, and it didn’t work.

“I did that and people ignored it anyways….ruined my first kiss photo,” one wrote.

“Ugh, but [at the] last wedding, the officiant announced it and I saw three phones out still,” another wrote. “Can we just start collecting phones at this point lol.”

The Independent has reached out to Claire for comment.