Maybe I should just stop asking people to put their phones away?

Can we talk about phone cameras and weddings.

Gunnar Freyr, the Icelandic photographer, quotes Dr Seuss on his website, writing "sometimes you don’t know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory" highlighting that being present in the moment can be so much more valuable then reflecting on the memory, even with your fancy phone photo.

I stand in wedding ceremonies every week watching you all take those photos, heck I even take some of those photos, and I wonder where they'll all end up. Will you ever look at the photo or video again? Will the people you show that media too later (I'm talking to the grandmas and aunties now) care that you discarded absorbing the moment enough to capture it so they could watch?

Which is all a solid argument for putting your phone away.

But also, I'm sick of ruining this precious moments playing iPhone cop for a bunch of people who clearly don't care. Over the microphone, in-person, asking you to be present.

It's almost like you don't want to be present with us. Like you'd prefer to watch the live stream from home?

I can't stop thinking about a celebrant who recently obsessed over the bride's dress falling perfectly, so much that they ended up in a heated moment with the mother of the bride. I succinctly remember the father of the groom threatening to pummel me because I asked him to leave this camera tripods in the car ... he was after all one of seven guests and I reckon his son would value his father's attention and smile more than his photos.

I'd argue that us wedding vendors could tamper less with the wedding proceedings, that we could stop trying to make it perfect, and accept that what will be, will be.

I wonder if we simply suffer through a generation of people not knowing the value of moments until they become memories until we start leaving the phone in the pocket or car.

💍 Josh Withers is an Australian wedding celebrant based in Hobart who travels the world every week creating meaningful, fun, and honest marriage ceremonies for adventurous couples just like you.

📱 Follow Josh on Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Mastodon, Micro.Blog, or in a Qantas airport lounge somewhere.