With wedding season just around the corner {I have one May 16! } I thought it would be a good time to remind everyone how NOT to behave as a wedding guest.
Of course I’ve mentioned that I think it’s best for guests to put their phones and cameras away during the ceremony and let the pro photographer do his or her job. (Here’s what happens when random guests jump in the aisle—in front of the photographer.) And I’ve also said that guests should refrain from posting photos of the bride and groom on social media until they have permission. (Obviously if there’s a wedding hashtag, you have permission.)
And here are two more rules for wedding guests to consider from etiquette expert Cheryl Seidel:
”Don’t block the people behind you.” If you insist on taking photos during the ceremony, take a seat in the back or the far aisle. I always thought of it from the photographer’s perspective—you’re getting in the way of her job—but it would also be super annoying, as a guest, to be seated behind someone whose arms were flailing the whole time.
”Leave the iPad at home.” There’s no way you can be inconspicuous with an iPad. It never even occurred to me that someone would bring an iPad for picture-taking purposes, but yeah. I’ve seen people try to use an iPad camera at a fashion show, and they always get in the way. Plus, you’ll look like weirdos reviewing your iPad photos at the reception. (I checked with Apple and there's no tech reason that an iPad takes better pictures than an iPhone, although seniors seem to like that they can see more of the frame, thanks to the bigger screen.)
Any other tech faux pas that wedding guests should keep in mind?