Shape 5.23.14

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West aren’t exactly shy, which is why it’s newsworthy that their wedding may not be spent in the spotlight. Rumors are swirling that Kim and Kanye are planning a cell phone-free wedding.

They’re not the first celebrities to keep their big day a big secret—Beyonce and Kelly Clarkson executed similar strategies, and former Facebook president Sean Parker forced guests to check their phones at the door at his nuptials last year. But the trend has trickled down to brides on all budgets. A recent survey from wedding dress retailer David’s Bridal found that 44 percent of brides believe in “digital rules” (i.e., not tweeting during the ceremony, or waiting until the bride has posted photos on her page to do the same). Fourteen percent are saying no to all social media.

And even though the bride-next-door may not have candids worth a couple thousand, a la Kimye, the reasoning behind unplugging makes sense. Some brides don’t want their friends or followers who didn’t make the guest list to feel left out. Others would prefer to have final sign-off over what images are shared. And some just want to make sure their guests are focused on them, not the perfect Instagram filter.

Thinking about going tech free? Rather than enlist your bridesmaids and groomsmen to wrestle devices from guest’s hands, Pinterest offers a few gentle—and crafty—strategies to give your guests a heads up about your unplugged wishes. Or for brides who’d prefer their guests be as active on social media as possible, some wedding venues, such as the W Hotel in New York, are offering a Twitter concierge, who’ll coordinate hashtags, tweets, and statuses for $3,000.

Source: SHAPE