I really enjoy looking at my parent’s wedding album. They will be married 50 years this October. I enjoy flipping through the album and looking at my parents so young with their whole lives still in front of them.  I am not even a thought to them yet on their wedding day. I see family members and dear close family friends that are no longer with us. I see memories that were made that day. What I don’t see is 100 people holding up their phones or in those days a camera with a flash cube on it trying to capture a moment. That is why they hired a professional photographer.

As a guy who has his I phone in his hands 24-7, I understand the convenience of wanting to grab a quick pic from time to time. I also understand wanting to post the interesting part or the good news of the photograph on social media to share. I don’t understand the obsession with needing to do it 24-7. In addition to owning Keith Christopher Entertainment, I also own Fred Fox Studios. I can’t begin to tell you how many pictures we have that are just not great today because during the service or first dance while trying to get a shot of the wedding couple, a guest stands up with their phone and now becomes a part of that picture. Wedding couples pay their photographers and cinematographers a lot of money to be there the day of their wedding. They also want you there, but they want you to be a guest, so be a guest.

A few weeks ago I posted a blog about being a good wedding guest. One the things that I pointed out was the use or should I say misuse of camera phones at a wedding. I think you can see by the photograph used for this blog that it can indeed and does get a bit out of control. No matter how good the phone is on your camera, it will never be as good as the photographer’s so let him/her take the picture. Please be aware of your presence while being a guest at a wedding. You want to be in the couple’s wedding video or pictures enjoying yourself. You don’t want to be in the couple’s wedding video or pictures in the background ruining a beautiful moment by accidently photo bombing it.

It is ok to put your camera in your pocket or purse and enjoy the ceremony, the first dance, the parent dances etc. and let the professionals take those pictures. You will still have a ton of pictures of good times with friends and family to post on social media still all night.

Written by Keith “K.C.” KoKoruz Owner of the Windy City Wedding Show and the Badger State Bridal Expo.