Should We Ban Mobile Phones At Weddings?

One photographer is challenging what has quickly become the norm. Wedding hashtag anyone?

Thomas Stewart, a photographer from New South Wales, took to his Facebook page last week to challenge brides and grooms to stop allowing their guests to take photos of their big day.

In a post that quickly went viral, Thomas shared a photo of a groom nervously peering down the aisle waiting for his wife-to-be. Sadly though, the man was unable to see her, because his guests were blocking his way with their smart phoes – vying to catch a snap of the lucky lady.

It’s a bit awkward. Thomas wrote alongside the picture: ‘Right, I've had enough. I want to talk to you all about guests using mobile phones / cameras at weddings. I want to plead with you, and I'm going to make this very simple: brides and grooms, please have a completely unplugged wedding ceremony.

‘Look at this photo. This groom had to lean out past the aisle just to see his bride approaching. Why? Because guests with their phones were in the aisle and in his way. This sucks.’

Thomas added: ‘Guests, you've been invited to this wedding to share and celebrate the love that two people feel for each other. They didn't invite you along to take photographs that they probably won't really look at anyway.’

‘They want you there with them in heart and soul, and they want to see your tear-filled eyes as you form part of their wedding ceremony. You are witnesses to their marriage, so for goodness sake, watch them with your eyes and your minds, not your phones.’

Thomas - who has since spoken of his shock at the popularity of his post - urges people to have what he calls an ‘unplugged’ wedding where attendees are asked politely not to use their phones and cameras for the duration of the big day. As he points out the pictures your mates take are often, well, a bit crap. Do you think you could do it?