How to tactfully ask guests not to post any of our wedding photos to socials

While it's natural to want to share a happy moment like a wedding on social media, it's also entirely understandable if you'd prefer to keep your special day private or if you'd like to be the first to share your wedding photos online. Here are a few tactful ways you can request this of your guests:

1. Wedding Invitations or Wedding Website: Add a brief note in your wedding invitations or on your wedding website politely asking guests to refrain from posting any photos from your wedding on social media. You could phrase it like this: "We're so excited to share our special day with you. As a personal favor, we're asking that you help us keep our wedding off social media. We can't wait to celebrate with you in person!"
2. Signage at the Wedding: Consider placing tasteful signs at the entrance or around your venue with a gentle reminder not to post photos on social media.
3. Announcement at the Ceremony/Reception: Have your officiant or emcee announce it at the beginning of the ceremony or reception. They could say something like: "The happy couple kindly requests that all photos taken today remain private. They appreciate your understanding and cooperation."
4. Wedding Program: Include a note in your wedding program, if you're having one, with your request.

Remember, it's your day, and it's okay to have requests. Most guests will be understanding and will respect your wishes once they're aware of them. Just be sure to communicate your wishes in a friendly and polite way.

During the ceremony it is best to ask the celebrant to politely advise the guest that the whole wedding day is an unplugged wedding meaning no guests are allowed to take photos or post on socials only until the bride and groom post FIRST

One option is to include a note in your wedding invitations or on your wedding website kindly requesting that guests refrain from posting photos of the wedding on social media. You could explain that you would like to keep the photos private for personal reasons or to respect the privacy of others who may not want their photos shared online.

Another option is to have your wedding coordinator or officiant make a brief announcement at the beginning of the ceremony or reception asking guests not to post photos of the wedding on social media. You could also consider setting up a designated photo-sharing platform, such as a shared album on a photo-sharing app, where guests can upload and view photos from the wedding without having to post them publicly on social media.

Remember to be polite and gracious when making this request. Many of your guests may be excited to share photos from your special day, so it's important to explain your reasoning and ask for their cooperation in a kind and respectful way.

If you wait till the ceremony to tell your guests, that way you dont have to feel like you are filling up your invite with rules. Also they haven't had a chance to forget what it said in the invite anyway. The celebrant will kindly mention this during the welcome part of your cermeony , before you enter down teh aisle. Especially if you make a point to them that it is a must. 

If you are having a Big Group Shot taken after your ceremony too, this is another chance where everyone is looking at the photographer, if you book an experienced confident photographer, Im sure they will politely remind everyone again, with their big photographer voice, that you would really appreciate to have no photos from the wedding at all posted until the couple have shared their own. I think they wil "get thepicture" by then haha pardon the pun! 

Also a note that if you book an amazing photogrpaher you can also have a photo or 2 sent to you the night of hte wedding! BOOM there it is! Ready for you to post the morning after! 

Have a no phone wedding! Give the guests disposable film cameras and make THEM wait to see them! Sat that they will have access to a link on Google drive to view and share when you are ready to let them :)

I recommend doing this on invitations and also have your Professsional Celebrant also announce it before the Ceremony, Have your Celebrant mention that the beautiful couple wish you to enjoy every moment of their Ceremony/ could you please turn your phones on silent and refrain in taking any images through the vceremony and leave to the Professional Photographers. Linda Pasfield Photography

These days the Celebrant you choose would do a fab job of asking guests very firmly but politely to please refrain from posting anything until Bride + Groom have had a chance to. So make sure to have a chat with your celebrant about announcing this. Cheers, Kay

This is a lose/lose situation. If you tell your guests not to take photos in the invitation, you will start off upsetting those in your guest list that are 'budding photographers.' As others have said, get your celebrant to ask people to not post photos before you get your images back. We provide images during the event that we ask people to share. This way we can help control the images that are shared to the public. But selfies and the like are going to always catch you out.

I may not be popular in saying this, but I would advise to just roll with it.

One thing you can do to ensure the photos taken are not completely connected to the wedding is after your celebrant asks everyone not to take photos is to ask your bridal party not just avoid being in images not taken by the photographer. This is easier to control than asking people to not take photos.

One thing you can ask and be pretty serious about is to make sure all phones are turned off during the ceremony. Ask your photographer to be prepared to say no and remember that from the start of the morning till the time you go to bed, nothing can be 100% controlled so just let things happen as it happens. It is easier to ignore it than it is to control it. In saying that, we often ask people to put their phones away and that we are there for the photos to ensure the images are the best that see the light of day.

It has become fairly common to hear the celebrant go through a few 'housekeeping' notes before the bride arrives for the ceremony. It's a great way to direct guests in terms of what to do during and after the ceremony and a great chance to make the request not to post any photos to social media. I have seen couples ask that no photos are taken at all during the ceremony so that everyone is present in the moment.

Ask celebrant to inform the guests that the "the couple would like to announce their marriage on social media by posting the official photos from the professional photogrpaher first, and therefore have requested that you do not post any photos or videos on social media until this has happened"