somethingprettyBy SomethingPretty editorial · Published · 7 min read
The quick answer
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Decide which moments you want phone-free and when, if ever, you want guests to post. Explain the request before the event and give suppliers the same brief. This guide separates a practical preference from a promise that no image can ever be copied or shared.
Decide what unplugged means for your celebration
An unplugged wedding can mean phones away during the ceremony, no public posts before the couple announces the marriage or a broader request for guests to enjoy the day without recording it. Those are different boundaries. Choose the one you actually want and explain it in ordinary language. A vague sign saying 'be present' may not tell guests whether taking one private photograph is welcome.
Discuss the preference together and with the photographer. Consider whether you want a brief opportunity for guest photographs at an agreed moment. You do not need to justify the decision with a claim that every phone ruins professional images. It can simply be how you want a particular part of the day to feel. A clear, limited request is easier to follow than several overlapping rules that change when a different relative asks.
Give guests the request before they are holding a phone
Include a short note with the practical wedding information and repeat it near the relevant moment. Original wording might be: 'We would love a phone-free ceremony. Please put cameras and phones away until our celebrant lets you know the ceremony has finished.' If the restriction is about posting rather than taking images, say that instead.
Choose welcoming wording without threatening to confiscate devices or embarrass guests. Ask the celebrant or MC whether they are comfortable making the agreed announcement. A sign can support the request, but it should not be the only way people receive it. Consider guests who cannot read it easily or who need another format. If someone has a practical reason to use a device, discuss the arrangement quietly rather than assuming every visible screen is a refusal to respect the couple.
Separate taking, receiving and publicly sharing images
A guest may agree to be photographed but not want the picture published. Another may be comfortable receiving a private gallery but not having a preparation image forwarded to a large group. Ask about the relevant use instead of treating one yes as permission for everything. Keep the conversation simple and specific.
The eSafety Commissioner's photo-and-video guidance explains that images can be copied or shared beyond the original audience, including through screenshots or downloads. Privacy settings can reduce exposure but do not make a shared image impossible to redistribute. Tell guests what you are requesting without promising control you cannot provide. If you create a private photo-sharing arrangement, check the service's settings, access and terms before calling it secure or restricted to a particular group forever.
Put the same instructions in the supplier brief
Tell photographers, videographers, content creators and other relevant suppliers what you have agreed about public posting, portfolio use and timing. Read the actual terms and discuss changes before booking or before the relevant approval deadline. A request made to guests does not automatically amend a supplier's contract, and one supplier's promise does not control another person's account.
The OAIC explains that identifiable images can be personal information when handled by organisations covered by the Privacy Act. Not every private wedding interaction is governed by the same obligations, so avoid making a sweeping legal claim. Ask the business how it handles images and preferences in its actual service. If there are guests who should not appear publicly, agree a workable process with the provider. Do not rely on the couple recognising every person in hundreds of files after an unapproved preview has already been posted.
Source: OAIC: posting photos and videos
Consider children and vulnerable guests privately
Ask parents or carers about sharing preferences for children and make sure the relevant adults understand the plan. eSafety's guidance on children's privacy notes that images can reveal identifying information and that even private sharing can be copied. Avoid including names, locations or other unnecessary details in public captions simply because the photograph was taken at a family celebration.
Some adults may also have reasons for keeping images or location information private that they do not want to explain to the whole wedding. Provide a discreet contact and share only the instruction needed by suppliers. A guest should not have to announce a personal safety issue to obtain a simple no-public-posting arrangement. At the same time, be honest about the limits of a large social event: you can organise, request and respond, but you cannot guarantee that every person's device is controlled.
Decide who announces the marriage and when
If you want to make the first public announcement, say so plainly and identify when guests may post. 'Please wait until we have shared our own announcement' is understandable if you also give a way to know when that has happened. Avoid leaving guests to guess whether a story, tagged photograph or family message counts as the announcement.
Think about people who will learn about the wedding through the post. If there are close contacts you want to tell directly, do that before a public message if possible. Give any helper who manages a wedding account clear permission and a specific scope. Do not share account passwords broadly to simplify posting. You can agree a preferred image and caption without giving every member of the wedding party access to the couple's personal accounts.
Offer a simple way to share photographs afterwards
If you welcome guest images later, choose one process and explain it. That could be an email address, a provider's gallery feature or another service you have assessed. Tell people whether you are asking for private memories only or permission to repost a selected image. Receiving a file does not make every person visible in it comfortable with public distribution.
Check who can view, download and add to the chosen service. Remove unnecessary access after the collection period and keep copies you want in your own storage. SomethingPretty does not currently provide a cloud photo-upload gallery or public guest collection service. Its wedding-page builder previews and downloads a page; it does not create an online media platform. Do not promise guests an upload destination until the actual service is configured and tested.
Prepare a calm response if a photograph is posted early
Choose one person who can contact the poster privately and ask for removal or a change. A direct message is often more useful than a public confrontation during the reception. Explain the specific request and avoid assuming malicious intent when someone misunderstood the timing. Keep the couple out of routine enforcement where possible so they are not monitoring feeds throughout the day.
If a guest raises a concern about their image, listen and take practical steps with the relevant poster or platform. Do not insist that appearing at the wedding settles every privacy preference. For serious harmful content or abuse, use the appropriate platform reporting and official support information rather than treating it as an etiquette dispute. This guide is about ordinary event communication; it does not replace individual legal advice or the processes for reporting unlawful or harmful material.
Make the request usable and then enjoy the event
Before the wedding, check that the guest note, celebrant announcement, supplier brief and any signs say the same thing. Remove obsolete versions that allow posting at a different time. If you change your mind, tell the people expected to communicate the request. Keep a short dated note so the plan is not dependent on one conversation months earlier.
Use SomethingPretty's tasks and timeline to place the announcement and handover at the right point. The countdown tool can help with your own preparation dates, but it does not monitor social media or enforce privacy settings. A thoughtful plan gives guests a reasonable way to respect your preference and suppliers clear instructions. Once those details are agreed, you can put your own phone away as well and let the ceremony and celebration have the attention you wanted to protect.
FAQ: Can we ask for a phone-free wedding ceremony?
Yes, you can make that preference clear and ask guests to respect it. Explain exactly when it applies and repeat the request through an agreed announcement. Keep the tone welcoming and make practical exceptions through a private conversation where needed.
FAQ: Does a private wedding gallery stop people sharing photographs?
No service setting should be treated as a guarantee against copying. People may download or screenshot content depending on access and platform design. Check the settings and terms, limit access appropriately and explain your sharing preference clearly.
FAQ: Do our guest rules automatically apply to the photographer's portfolio?
No. Discuss portfolio and social use directly with the supplier and read the accepted terms. Put agreed restrictions or approvals in writing. A general sign for guests is not a substitute for a clear supplier arrangement.
FAQ: Does SomethingPretty collect guest photographs online?
No. The current site does not provide a cloud upload gallery or public photo collection service. You can keep a task or reference to another provider you choose, but assess and configure that service before inviting guests to use it.
Bring the details into your plan.
Use confirmed figures, keep unknowns visible and record the dates agreed with your providers.
Sources and editorial notes
Sources checked 25 October 2026. Worked examples are fictional illustrations. Rules and provider terms can change; check the official source for your circumstances.
- eSafety Commissioner: photo and video sharing ↗
- OAIC: posting photos and videos ↗
- eSafety Commissioner: privacy and your child ↗
General information, not an individual legal, financial or contract assessment. AI-assisted drafting with source checks; independent professional review has not been completed. About our guides · Suggest a correction