Should weddings be smartphone-free zones?

Couples need to decide when and if they will allow guests to take smartphone photos during their wedding.(Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK)

Imagine arriving at your friend's wedding and, as everyone files in, all cellphones have to be forked over and put into a basket. Now picture doing the same thing as you arrive at the reception and not getting your phone back until you leave to go home.

That might be a bit extreme, but more and more couples are considering making their weddings "smartphone-free zones."

While some only want their ban of the gadgets during the ceremony, others want to section off "special times" during the reception, too.

The main argument: couples pay thousands of dollars to have professional photographers take high-quality photos on their big day. Thus, they do not want guests taking and posting amateur photos all over the internet. The other apparent upside is that guests without phones are likely to be more involved in the moment and able to experience all the love and excitement weddings have to offer.

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Fair enough. But does a no-smartphone policy stem purely from good intentions? Or is it couples being too picky and controlling?

Perhaps it's a little bit of both, but the issue a ban seeks to address really comes down to manners and acceptable behavior.

We've all seen the ugly side. The people glued to their phones, taking selfie after selfie. Maybe it's a pool party, concert or even a sorority at a baseball game. The point is while those individuals are focused on their cameras and social media, the very event they are there for is going on without them.

When it comes to weddings, couples spend a lot of time and money planning to provide their guests with an unforgettable experience. Expensive photography aside, the food, the drinks, the music, the decorations, all of it might seem like a waste if everyone's eyes are fixated on their screens.

So, guests, whether you're at a smartphone-free wedding or not, be polite and consider when it's appropriate to whip out your phone.

During the ceremony at the moment of the first kiss right in the middle of aisle, is probably not the best time or place. Doing this likely means you will get in the way of a professional photographer and, let's be real, would the couple rather have a flawless image they can frame or a pixelated one from your Android- or worse the humongous, impractical iPad?

Also, skip the Instagram photo of the meal. Like Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation once said, "Food is for eating. Places are for being." Plus, most wedding food pretty much looks the same anyway. (Unless the couple has their wedding catered by Portillo's Hotdogs, which I fully intend on doing one day).

Becky Bourget, a photographer with Captivating Images in Green Bay, said the other bad time for family paparazzi to get involved is during group photos. When there are multiple picture-takers, the people in the photos look in all different directions rather than at the hired photographer. It's best, she said, for family and friends to listen to the photographer, let them take their professional shots first and then get their own photos afterward.

Bourget said she has yet to work a smartphone-free wedding. Although she does see the benefits, she also recognizes banning phones would require a lot of patrolling and may actually take some of the fun away, especially during the reception.

This is where some leniency is required of the couple. As someone who has worked as a bridal consultant, one of the biggest mistakes brides make is trying to control every little aspect of their wedding. Sometimes brides get so caught up in their agenda, they forget what the day is really about. Isn't that exactly what smartphone-loving wedding guests are asked not to do?

Here's a nice compromise. Couples could have a cute, little sign leading into the ceremony, asking people to keep their phone and camera use to a minimum. Then at the reception, let people do whatever the heck they want. While brides and grooms may want the picture-perfect, classy wedding, they need to realize it's also a celebration. People want to let loose and party. Bombarding guests with messages to put away their phones is just annoying. It might even mean guests will have a bad time even though they are "present." This is a lose-lose situation.

Couples should keep in mind that friends and family are often the ones who are able to capture the most candid, fun photos of the evening. The reception should be phone and photo friendly.

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