From custom couple hashtags to getting that perfect bridal Pinterest board, weddings these days have changed a lot since our parents and grandparents’ generations.
We’ll put our hands up and admit that we aim to get that perfect kiss photo for our Instagram accounts, but after this photographer’s passionate plea to wedding guests to stop ruining professional photos by getting in the way with their phones, we may have to re-think our strategy.
Professional wedding photographer Hannah Mbalenhle Stanley took to Facebook and shared an open letter after taking snaps at a wedding where a guest blocked her view, ruining the shot showing the bride walking up the aisle.
“To the girl with the iPhone…,” Hannah opened her letter.
“Not only did you ruin my shot, but you took this moment away from the groom, father of the bride, and the bride. What exactly do you plan on doing with that photo? Honestly. Are you going to print it out? Save it? Look at it everyday? No. You’re not. But my bride would have printed this photo, looked at it often and reminisced over this moment as her dad walked her down the aisle on her wedding day. But instead, you wanted to take a photo with your phone, blocking my view, and taking a photo that you will not use.”
Do you think people need to put their phones away at weddings?
(Image: Facebook)Hannah went on to urge guests to “please stop viewing weddings you attend through a screen but instead turn OFF your phone, and enjoy the ceremony.
“You are important to the bride and groom, you would not be attending the wedding otherwise. So please, let me do my job, and you just sit back, relax and enjoy this once in a lifetime moment,” she wrote.
The post has since had over a thousand comments and has sparked a hot debate with people all over the world.
“This is extremely harsh to the poor person simply trying to capture a moment. If you don’t want phones at your wedding, have a SIGN. This is unfortunate but is no one’s fault but the bride and groom for not telling the guests it was a no phone ceremony,” one person wrote.
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But despite backlash, Hannah received support from commenters who agreed that photography should be left to the professionals.
“I actually agree with the photographer….because every time I go to a school event I can NEVER see my daughter perform because there is always someone in front of me holding their phone up and capturing the show on video. It happens at concerts and it happens at even church!!!”
But Hannah has been overwhelmed with the response telling Now To Love, “I had NO idea it would go viral or be this big of a deal. It’s so crazy to me, I still can’t believe it!”
What are your thoughts on phones at weddings?
