Weddingbee boards

I don't want a lot of family members taking photos during the ceremony.  I've seen weddings where several family members get up and take photos while the bride is walking down the aisle, or during the ceremony.  I don't want that to happen for a few reasons:

1. I already have a professional photographer taking pictures, and I'll be nervous enough with him running around and the one flash going off.

2. I want my guests to just relax and enjoy the ceremony- let the photographer do the work.

3. I don't want them to get in the photographer's way.

4. I don't want my wedding looking like a paparazzi circus.

Is it rude to put a small sign next to the program basket or near the ceremony entrance that says "At the request of the bride and groom, no flash photography during the ceremony please." or is there a nicer way to word it?  I'd love for people to take photos during the reception, just not the ceremony.

We're getting married next to the ocean outside at a restaurant, not inside or at a church or anything, or else I'd feel more confident about guests not taking flash photos.  What do you all suggest?

Haha, you think its "ridiculous" to ask people not to get up and take flash photos in the middle of the ceremony?  Why, lol :) ?? I would imagine its more rude to disrupt a ceremony by moving around and flashing bright lights.  I can understand thinking the sign is too strong, but to think the request itself is ridiculous or off-putting is very odd to me.  I can't speak for everyone of course, but I was raised not to interrupt ceremonies, performances, speeches, etc by moving around, making noise, that kind of thing, and weddings are no exception.  I thought that was a universal rule of etiquette, but attending that recent wedding really opened my eyes. I thought it was the rudest thing I had ever seen for guests to jump up in front of the bride as she walked down the aisle to take her picture.  She literally had to stop walking while the guests took the photos because they got right in her way.  And then during the ceremony the loud camera noises and flashes were very disruptive.

Any ideas on how to spread the word via word of mouth if the sign is too much?

EDIT: Yikes, I sound like my grandmother, lol!!!!  I still think its rude to disrupt the ceremony though.

@ 2dBride I thought of that as well, it might be neat to have those photos if the photographer misses something.  Specifically its flash photography that I want to avoid.  I don't know about everyone else, but I get easily distracted and will be a nervous wreck getting up in front of everyone as it is.  Seeing a lot of people in the background running around and letting the flash go off will make it even worse!

I don't know if I could get away with an announcement, although I do think that's a good idea for some people.  Maybe if it was inside or in a church or something where you expect that kind of thing, but this is outside, so it may seem weird.

I don't think it's off-putting at all for you to request no photography during the ceremony. IMO, the ceremony is a sacred time -- whether it's in a church or on the beach -- and if you fear that time will become a bit of a circus with cameras going off (or, even as you  say, that they'll simply make you nervous), then by all means.

I had a similar concern about cell phones, so we printed a simple request at the beginning of our program, and then our officiant also made a very quick announcement. I didn't like having to make the point twice, but I would have been more annoyed if a phone went off during the ceremony.

Oh no, cell phones!  Now I have something else to be nervous about, lol!!  I'm sure these things don't bother everyone, but I have serious "stage fright" anxiety about the ceremony.

Several years ago, a good friend of mine has the exact same desire and decided to put a note in her program about it (and she may have mentioned cell phones as well, I can't remember).  It was the first time I had ever heard of the 'no photography' rule at weddings, but it seemed to work perfectly.  Everyone read the note and respected the couple's wishes.  I think that a sign or a note in your program would be perfectly fine.  I would make sure that your sign wording is very gracious and appreciative (and I think the wording you wrote up is good!).

personally I'm also in the camp that this is a little crazy of a request.  Of course I've seen people take photos in a wedding but I've never seen the "paparazzi" affect you are talking about with people disrupting the service, but I guess you would know if your circle of family/friends has less etiquette then the norm. If I saw the request and it was clear that it came from the bride my first thought would be "primadonna bridezilla" and yes it would make me think less of the bride.  If it was clear that those were church rules then I'd be fine. So my advice would be to find some way to pin it on the church. 

Since it's outside next to the ocean, I don't really think people taking pictures would be disruptive. Unless they actually do go running around taking pictures like you are worried about,.  And since it's outside (I'm assuming during the day), the guests probably wouldn't be using a flash. 

I think people might get offended if you tell them not to take pictures during the ceremony.  They want to have pictures of your day also and most do not want to buy pictures from the photographer if they can take a couple from their seat.  Just my opinion.

I'm guilty of taking pictures during ceremonies (WITHOUT FLASH!) but mainly because I love the shots I get.  But I have had friends who put a single line at the end of the program: "The bride and groom request that no photography is taken during the ceremony" and it was no problem.

The aisle runner is a great idea as a deterrent, thank you!  I don't really care if people take photos as long as they don't jump up in front of me like at that one wedding I saw.  Hopefully it will be a sunny day, no need for flash.

arobb, I totally get why you're concerned! We were recently at a wedding and my fiance's grandfather got up in the middle of the ceremony, walked up directly behind the minister, and began taking photos, which made it impossible for the $5000 professional photographer to get any shots of the couple exchanging their vows without grandpa in them. If FI's grandpa did that for his nephew's wedding, he's definitely going to do so for his grandson's! So we're going to have to employ some of the strategies this post has yielded for sure, probably the aisle runner, maybe an announcement, and also asking those who will be sitting next to him to make him sit down if he tries to get out to take pictures. I don't think it's at all ridiculous to want to make sure your photographer gets the shots you're paying him to get without interference.

I've been at a wedding where the officiant said no flash photography allowed...no big deal.  I agree, let he/she be the bad guy.  Maybe it's just cuz I'm pretty good with a camera and would be able to take nice pics without a flash though...I dunno...  :)