Ladies and Gentlemen, please silence your cellphones, put down your tablets, disable your cameras, log out of all social media web sites, and leave the photography and videography to the experts. It’s time to live in the moment and feast your eyes on the bride and groom. This is a very special day to be shared in person, in the NOW.

All of us are fully aware of the immediate gratification of virtually sharing the most important moments of our lives with multitudes on social media — achievable almost at the speed of light. In doing so, however, we become so caught up in Facebook “Likes” and “Loves” and getting the shot, that we rarely stop and think about what it would be like to actually experience moment-by-moment events, in real time, without compulsively reaching for our devices and posting in the blink of an eye.

In attaching ourselves to electronics, we miss the human component — that indelible, once-in-a lifetime look or tender exchange that can only be appropriately and poignantly captured by masters of light and shadow, who know how to catch a glance or a smile at just the right angle, inspire an impromptu kiss, or demonstrate the depth of foreground and background.

In truth, the efficacy of the point-and-shoot cellphone camera is no match for the more complex devices, manipulated by the hand and heart of an in-person photographer and/or videographer. When newlyweds allow guests to substitute for professionals, chaos can — and often does — ensue, and cheap becomes expensive. Due to a shaky lens, incorrect lighting, and/or an unskilled photographer, cherished moments can be lost forever.

You want your wedding day to last perpetually in photos and videos, and you want the images to be pristine, properly edited, and prepared by skilled artists. So, don’t settle for second best, and don’t try to skimp. Instead, tell your guests to remain with you in front of the camera, and dare to truly experience in the moment!